NA panel wants restrictions on Indian medical visas

At heart is concern that organ donors go to neighbouring country for monetary gain

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Friday suggested that medical visas granted by India to organ donors should be linked with the issuance of no-objection certificates of the Ministry of Human Rights.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights made this suggestion during its meeting here which was called to discuss steps taken by the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA) to stop illegal sale and purchase of human organs.



In this regard the committee decided to contact the Indian High Commission with a view to urge it not to issue medical visas to those Pakistanis who intend to sell their organs for monetary gains.

The committee with MNA Babar Nawaz Awan in the chair also discussed street begging.

“The major cause of illegal sale and purchase of human organs is lacunae in organ donation laws and lack of proper implementation of the existing laws,” Awan observed.

The committee decided that necessary amendments in the existing laws to make them authentic and strict should be introduced so that such activities could be prevented in the future.

“We call all stakeholders to present their opinion before the committee so that work could be started to make the donation laws better,” the chairman directed.



HOTA representatives informed the committee about the steps taken by it to stop the practice; however, committee members expressed their dissatisfaction over the presentation.

Generally, needy people sell their organs for money, without knowing the adverse health implications of the practice, said Begum Tahira Bukhari, adding there was a need to find out how and why people agree to sell their body parts.

The committee was briefed by HOTA officials that soon recommendations would be proposed for the consideration of parliament over the existing organ donation laws.

The committee also discussed issues related to street beggars and transgender.

“Transgender should be accepted as active members of society and they shall not be discriminated against,” Shazia Fatima, one of the members of the committee said.

The chairman of the committee observed that a recent fatwa has allowed members of the transgender community to marry.

The committee was of the view that legislation was required so that action could be taken against those who ridicule them and force them into unethical activities.

About street beggars, the committee was informed that currently there exists no law to stop the practice. The Ministry of Human Rights told the committee that the relevant law was under consideration. The committee decided to take this issue in its next meeting.

Members of the committee including Begum Tahira Bukhari, Phyllis Azeem, Surriya Asghar, Kiran Haider, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Dr Shazia Sobia, Musarat Rafique Mahesar, Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Aliya Kamran Murtaza, Naseema Hafeez Panezai and two special invitees Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Rumina Khurshid Alam attended the meeting, besides the secretary Human Rights and secretary, the Capital Administration and Development Division and other officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2016.