Expressing concern over the illegal business of human organ transplantation across the country despite the enactment of Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 2010, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday asked the prime minister to order joint investigation into reports of illegal kidney transplantation of 13 foreigners in Pakistan. The standing committee, which met with Riaz Fatyana in the chair, said a joint investigation should be conducted by FIA, Islamabad Police, provincial authorities and Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA), a subsidiary organisation of the Ministry of Health.
Kishwar Zehra showed the papers of various hospitals’ estimates, which ran into thousands of dollars, for organ transplantations. She said the hospitals received huge money, while organ sellers were given a few thousand rupees. She also said around 13 people from abroad came to Pakistan to get their organs transplanted illegally. Kishwar also showed a documentary film which she had prepared with help of the media by reaching the affected people in far flung rural areas.
According to the film, about 500 people sold their kidneys and around 200-250 persons were ready to sell their organs in district Sargodha alone. The crime of organ transplantation was being carried out in an organised manner and commission agents at various hospitals worked to find out people ready to sell their organs, the committee was told.