The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested two individuals linked to an illegal kidney transplant network. The agency suspects the network’s involvement in more than 150 unlawful organ transplants, as well as the acquisition of fraudulent approvals from the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA).
Investigators identified the primary suspect as Shabbir Hussain, who was apprehended in Jalalpur Bhattian, Hafizabad district. His associate, Ghulam Abbas, was arrested in Mian Channu tehsil, Khanewal.
Officials state that the two men operated as agents to recruit donors by targeting low-income individuals, daily wagers, and brick kiln labourers with promises of monetary compensation.
The developments follow the arrest of nine individuals last month by the FIA Islamabad Zone. Those previously detained include a prominent urologist and an employee of a private hospital.
The network charged recipients between Rs6 million and Rs10 million per transplant.
Inquiries show that Hussain used a network of sub-agents to find donors in Punjab and Islamabad. Initial findings indicate that he supplied more than 50 donors to the urologist.
The group bypassed legal requirements by using forged documents to secure clearances from HOTA.
Deputy Director of the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle, Afzal Khan Niazi, stated that the network extended beyond domestic operations, facilitating transplants for foreign nationals from Afghanistan, China, and Saudi Arabia.
FIA is conducting forensic and legal reviews of the financial transactions and records associated with the foreign patients.
