Gang involved in illegal organ transplant busted

LAHORE: The Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&MED) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have jointly nabbed a gang involved in illegal kidney transplantation.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique disclosed that teams of Punjab Human Organ Transplant Authority (PHOTA) and FIA jointly arrested six members of the gang involved in illegal kidney transplants.

The minister said PHOTA and FIA’s joint raiding teams arrested the gang members including Cardiologist and Transplant Surgeon Dr Tariq Rasheed, Dr Abdul Hameed, Dr Athar Shah, Chief Dialysis Technician Dr Shahid Nawaz Bhatti and two donors, Muhammad Zulfikar and Muhammad Irfan.

The accused were illegally transplanting kidneys in Badar Medical Complex. There is also CCTV footage of the illegal grafting. The minister commended PHOTA and FIA Lahore teams for taking targeted action against the organised group involved in the illegal business of kidney transplantation. The minister along with Director FIA Lahore Sarfaraz Ahmad Virk distributed certificates of appreciation and cash prizes among the officers for the successful operation. A case has been registered against the accused and further action is being taken. The FIA Lahore team is conducting further raids to arrest the other accused. The minister thanked FIA Lahore team for cooperation with the Health Department. PHOTA is taking effective action against groups involved in illegal transplantation of human organs across the province.

248 arrested in raid on drug dealers

Punjab police conducted 474 raids on drug dealers’ hideouts across the Punjab province, including Lahore.

The police registered 249 cases, arrested 248 suspects, and seized 140kg of charas, 2kg heroin, 1kg opium, 307grams ice, and 2,670 litre liquor. Over the past month, a total of 7,165 raids were conducted, resulting in 3,669 cases against major drug dealers, 4,053 arrests, and the recovery of 2,947kg of charas, 15kg of ice, 58kg heroin, 152kg opium, and 40,875 litre liquor.