FIA takes into custody welfare organisations' records

Data includes details of orphan girls' marriages, adopted children, heirless individuals and heirless bodies

KARACHI:

The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA's) human trafficking cell took into custody on Tuesday records of various welfare organisations and shelter homes of the past 10 years. The records include details of orphan girls' marriages, adopted children, heirless individuals and heirless bodies.

Organisations whose records have been confiscated include the Sarim Burney Trust International, Edhi Foundation and Chhipa Welfare Association, among others.

According to sources in the FIA, the agency had earlier sought the manual and computerised records of these organisations the past five to 10 years as per court orders. But some organisations were unable to comply with the directive, maintaining that they did not have computerised records, they added.

FIA human trafficking cell assistant director Shoaib Khan said that no raids were carried out on any shelter homes and routine operation was carried out at their offices during which the required records were taken into custody.

According to an Edhi Foundation spokesperson, records comprising the details of orphan children staying in the shelter home had been sought by the FIA. The spokesperson said FIA officials had also been summoning the girls who were married off and their husbands, as well as couples who had adopted children from the shelter home, in order to verify data.

He maintained that they did not have computerised records and it was hence, compiling the records sought by the FIA was time consuming.

Meanwhile, Sarim Burney Trust International head said records of the past eight years had been provided to the FIA. He said that records include details of women whom they had got married, adding that welfare organisations should be issued licenses after the completion of the investigation so that they could continue working.