Woman arrested for newborn trafficking

Accused Fatima confessed to buying and selling eight children

KARACHI:

Kharadar police apprehended a woman on Wednesday allegedly involved in the trafficking of newborn babies and rescued a baby girl from her possession.

According to police, the suspect, identified as Fatima, had been acquiring neonates from hospitals and villages through collaboration with nurses, midwives, and child traffickers. She would then sell the infants for profit.

Agha Rasheed, SHO of Kharadar police station, revealed that Fatima had recently purchased a newborn baby girl from a village in Thatta for Rs200,000, intending to sell her in Karachi. Acting on intelligence information, police arrested Fatima and recovered the newborn girl.

Read: No trace of kidnapped baby found

During preliminary interrogation, Fatima confessed to buying and selling eight children. The accused, a resident of Lyari, is now in police custody. Further investigations will be conducted to identify others involved in the illicit trade of child trafficking, and legal actions will be taken against them.

Following the necessary legal procedures, police handed over the rescued newborn baby girl to the Edhi Foundation. Meanwhile, Fatima is under the custody of the women police, where ongoing investigations are focused on the wider network of newborn sale and purchase.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2024.