Shameful: Illegal organ transplant racket busted

Waseem said the doctors had taken Rs2.5m from him for a kidney transplant

LAHORE: Five members of a ring of doctors and clinic staff who were operating an illegal organ transplant racket were arrested on Sunday night by Factory Area police.

Police have registered a case against  Dr Sarfaraz, Dr Ramazan, Dr Amir, Miss Mona and laboratory assistant Sheraz.

The suspects were running an illegal organ transplant centre at Mai Nazeeran Darul Shafa, a private hospital, near Bank Stop. Police raided the hospital on a tip-off and arrested the suspects.

Waseem Akhtar, the complainant, told The Express Tribune that he had kidney disease and had visited Rasheed Hospital near Barkat Market for a check-up. Awais, one of the suspects, met him there and said he could help him get a kidney transplant for Rs2.5 million.

Akhtar said he underwent surgery at Mai Nazeeran Darul Shafa a month ago. A day after the surgery, he told the doctors that he was unwell. “They told me to wait for some time and then they disappeared.”

He said the doctors and staff switched off their cell phones. “I visited another hospital where the doctors told me that my kidney wasn’t working and if I didn’t get it removed within the hour, I might die.”

Akhtar filed a complaint against the suspects. He said the doctors had ripped off several others. Akhtar said he knew one of the victims who was currently admitted at Shaikh Zayed Hospital in a critical condition.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2015.