ISLAMABAD, July 24: An attempt to incorporate the ‘compensated donation of organs to foreigners’ in the draft Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Ordinance, 2007 has been foiled by a high official, Dawn can reveal.

Sources told this writer that the federal cabinet had appointed a two-member committee comprising Federal Law Minister Wasi Zafar and the legal adviser to the prime minister, Sharifuddin Pirzada, for improving the text of the draft law when it was placed before the cabinet on February 7 for approval.

The committee, the sources added, in its report suggested that the government allow ‘compensated donation’ of organs for foreigners. The report says: “Donation by Pakistani citizens to foreign patients seeking treatment in Pakistan shall only be permissible in cases of emergency and in limited numbers as may be prescribed.”

There were some other ‘controversial recommendations’ of the committee too, which had been incorporated in the draft law.

The sources say that most of the recommendations of the committee are contrary to the basic idea of the proposed law, which is meant to discourage organ trade in Pakistan. The draft law which was presented to the cabinet had proposed a complete ban on organ donations to foreigners.

Business involving sale of kidneys in Pakistan attracts a large number of transplant patients from all over the world, who exploit poverty in the country. It is learnt that prospective recipients from Australia, Europe, Middle East and the United States pay over $40,000 for a kidney.