Kidney traffickers get harsh penalties
4 Surgeon Mario Alvarez Maestro (R) performs a kidney transplant, an operation that typically leads to patients regaining weight and imporved health Surgeon Mario Alvarez Maestro (R) performs a kidney transplant, an operation that typically leads to patients regaining weight and improved health. PHOTO: AFP
A Sessions Court on Wednesday awarded heavy fines, imprisonment and confiscating of property to a doctor, a staff nurse, and paramedical staff involved in the illegal sale and purchase of kidneys.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Taxila sentenced the doctor, staff nurse and three paramedical staff, who were involved in the illegal business of kidney transplants, to a total of 26 years in prison and Rs1.2 million fine.
All five convicts were handcuffed and arrested from the courtroom as soon as the sentences were announced. The court declared that the business of kidneys is very heinous, so no relaxation could be given to anyone involved.
The court sentenced Dr Fawad Mumtaz to seven years in prison under the Illegal Transplantation Act and Rs1m fine and sentenced an additional seven years in prison under section 334 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The court sentenced Nurse Sobia, Abu Bakr, Sharif and Hasnain to three years each in imprisonment and a Rs50,000 fine each. The convicts were sentenced to a total of 26 years in prison and a fine of Rs1.2m.
A case of illegal transplant was registered with the Taxila police in March 2023. The police arrested the culprits and issued a challan to the court with concrete evidence. The victims whose kidneys were removed were also brought to court.
The doctor and nurse had set up an illegal hospital in Taxila where underprivileged people from South Punjab were lured for meagre money in return for their kidney removal. The suspects used to transplant kidneys for potential customers.
Meanwhile, the judge of a Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), Amjad Ali Shah sentenced two criminals each to three-year rigorous imprisonment and confiscated their all movable and immovable property.
The judge announced the verdict in an explosives recovery case registered with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station.
The CTD police arrested Samar Khan Abdul Rahman and Shakirullah Iqbal and recovered heavy explosives and detonators from them on February 22, 2022. The suspects were shifted to Adiala Jail after the court sentence.
The same ATC, while passing judgment on a famous kidnapping for ransom case registered with Saddar Baruni police station, sentenced Afrasiab Khan of Hazro Attock to life imprisonment and confiscation of his all movable and immovable property. The suspect was transferred to Adiala Jail after the sentence. A case was registered against the suspect on July 23, 2023.
The suspect had abducted young Haseebul Hassan at gunpoint and demanded Rs20m from his family. The police recovered the kidnapped youth after setting a trap and also arrested the accused along with weapons.