From Abid Usman
LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday busted a six-member gang allegedly in-volved in illicit kidney transplant surgeries.
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 surger-ies at the Badar Medical Complex. According to him, CCTV footage of the suspects performing illegal transplant surgeries was also re-trieved by the authorities.
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.
