Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has stressed stringent legal action against individuals involved in the illegal sale and transplantation of human organs.
In a statement issued on Thursday, he emphasised the need to bring the culprits to justice to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. This call to action follows a successful operation by the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (PHOTA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The joint operation led to the arrest of Muhammad Nadeem from Kasur district, Tayyab Ali and Sharon from Lahore, Babar Masih, Dr. Tashbeeb Jalal, and Dr. Abdullah. These individuals were implicated in an organised network engaging in illegal human organ trade.
The case came to light when a patient named Ayub was admitted to District Headquarters Hospital Hafizabad and later died. An investigation revealed that an organised group had taken Ayub to a private house in Peshawar for an illegal transplantation. The group included Sharon Parvez, a dialysis technician; Bob Masih, the main agent; Irfan Aslam, a hormone lab employee; Dr. Tashbeeb Jalal; and Dr. Abdullah. The authorities acted promptly, resulting in the arrest of the five accused individuals on the spot, registered under case number 264/2024. The minister congratulated the joint teams of PHOTA and FIA for their successful operation against the criminals, reiterating the government’s commitment to eradicating the illegal organ trade.
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique and Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir announced regular visits by medical consultants to prisons across the province. The decision came during a meeting on Thursday, chaired by both ministers at the Department of Primary and Secondary Healthcare, focused on improving hospital facilities in Punjab’s 43 jails.
Kh Salman emphasized the Punjab government’s commitment to providing top-notch healthcare to prisoners. “We also aim to improve the transportation system for transferring sick prisoners from prisons to major hospitals, thereby enhancing the referral system,” he stated.
Kh Imran Nazir reiterated the government’s dedication to prisoner welfare, stating, “No sick prisoner should face any challenges in receiving treatment in Punjab’s prisons. Regular medical check-ups and screenings will be ensured.” He highlighted the government’s responsibility to offer basic amenities to all inmates.
The meeting was attended by Special Secretary Muhammad Iqbal, Additional Secretaries Dr. Younis and Dr. Zahida Azhar, Deputy Secretary Abdul Rehman, Professor Shahzad Anwar, SSP Prisons Muhammad Ijaz, Dr. Shah Jahan, and other officials. The discussion centered around implementing measures to improve healthcare conditions in the province’s prisons.