Kidney transplant racket busted in Lahore

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday busted a six-member gang allegedly involved in illicit kidney transplant surgeries, ARY News reported.

In a press conference in Lahore, Punjab Health Minister Salman Rafique accompanied by FIA Lahore Director Sarfraz Ahmed, said that at least six suspects were arrested in an operation.

Minister Rafique said that the apprehended suspects were involved in illegal kidney transplant surgeries at the Badar Medical Complex.

According to him, CCTV footage of the suspects performing illegal transplant surgeries was also retrieved by the authorities.

Read more: Pakistan’s first split liver, pancreas transplants completed at PKLI

The detained suspects included prime suspect Dialysis  Technician Dr. Shahnawaz Bhatti, Cardiologist and Transplant Surgeon Dr. Tariq Rasheed, Dr. Abdul Hameed and Dr Athar Shah.

As many as two donors, identified as Muhammad Zulfikar and Muhammad Irfan were also arrested in the operation as the FIA registered a first information report against all six suspects.

The provincial health minister thanked the FIA Lahore for its cooperation in busting the transplant racket, saying that further legal proceedings were being initiated against the culprits.

FIA Lahore Director Sarfraz Ahmed vowed to charge the suspects with money laundering, saying that authorities will ensure swift punishment for the gang.