Eight people were arrested for their involvement with an organ trafficking ring which sold hundreds of kidneys to wealthy buyers. Image: Raul Infante Gaete, via Pexels
Eight people were arrested by Pakistan police for their alleged involvement with an organ trafficking ring, which surgically removed the kidneys of hundreds of patients to sell to wealthy buyers.
The alleged leader of the gang, identified as “Dr Fawad”, is accused of conducting 328 operations on people to remove their kidneys, often without their knowledge or consent.
It was also reported that Fawad has been arrested on five prior occasions for medical malpractice, but secured bail on each occasion.
The harvested organs were sold to clients for up to 10 million Pakistani rupees (approximately $55,000 AUD) each.
At least three people are known to have died from these operations.
Chief minister of Punjab province, Moshin Naqvi, said the organ transplants were believed to have been carried out in private homes across eastern Punjab province and in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
He also said that Fawad was allegedly assisted in his operations by a car mechanic, who acted as a surgical assistant.
Reportedly, he helped Fawad to lure vulnerable patients from hospitals and to administer anaesthesia for surgery.
“The facts and figures that have come to us make the heart tremble,” said Naqvi at a press conference on Sunday.
“They were able to do this in Kashmir because there is no law regarding kidney transplant, so it was easier for them to carry out the operations there,”
“There are a lot more transplants and illegal surgeries than this. These are the ones that we have confirmed.”
The commercial trade of human organs was made illegal in Pakistan in 2007, and further laws were introduced in 2010, making the harvest and trade of organs punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a 1 million rupee ($5,500 AUD) fine.
However, Pakistan’s low wages and poor law enforcement make it an easy target for wealthy buyers and middlemen involved in the harvesting and trafficking of human organs.
Naqvi said that he would be working alongside the Inspector General of Police in Punjab to strengthen cyber laws and prevent traffickers from advertising and attracting buyers online.
