SHC seeks prosecutor general’s comments on Sarim Burney bail plea

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday issued notices to the prosecutor general, deputy attorney general and others on a bail application filed by social worker Sarim Burney in a child trafficking case.

Burney was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency for his alleged involvement in illegal child trafficking, cheating and other charges.

According to the prosecution, the applicant and his accomplices knowingly and wilfully provided false information, made false declarations and concealed facts for handing over custody of minors to foreign nationals who wanted to adopt them. The trust had handed over babies to US nationals in exchange for a total of $6,000, without obtaining the consent or knowledge of their biological parents, the prosecution said.

A counsel for the applicant submitted that the social worker was innocent and had been falsely implicated in the case. The counsel submitted that the applicant had no knowledge about the minors in question, as he was the chairman of the Sarim Burney Trust that managed various departments, including adoption, job distribution and education.

The counsel said the case did not fall within the prohibitory clauses and the sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act 2018 did not apply, as the necessary requirements of these sections were not met.

The high court was requested to grant bail to the applicant as he was incarcerated in the prison for last six months.

The SHC after the preliminary hearing of the petition issued notices to the prosecutor general and others, and called their comments.