Sarim Burney booked for trafficking new born babies to US

KARACHI: Sarim Burney, rights activist and founder and Chairman of Sarim Burney Welfare Trust, has been booked for allegedly trafficking newborn babies to the United States (US).

In the first FIR, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) booked the rights activist for ‘trafficking’ a newborn baby – identified as Haya – to the US. Haya, who according to FIA was the last girl trafficked to US, was allegedly bought from her parents for Rs1 million, according to media reports.

Sarim Burney, who was arrested earlier in the day at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, trafficked 20 newborns to the US in the past year on pretext of adoption. The FIA claimed that 15 of the trafficked children were girls.

Burney will be presented in court for remand in the first case, with sources claiming that US investigative agencies are also probing the matter.

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The FIA, in a statement, said that the records of the allegedly trafficked children were provided by the Pakistan embassy. Citing the Trust documents, the agency said Burney’s wife was also among the beneficiaries.

According to sources, the wife can also be nominated in the case after the Sindh government verifies the documents. The agency further claimed that several individuals assisted Burney in purchasing and smuggling of children.

According to the FIA, Haya’s parents are extremely poor, and their statements have been recorded. Further cases related to human trafficking and money laundering will be registered against Burney, the agency said.

Burney was under surveillance by American authorities during his recent visit to the US, and he was interrogated twice by American officials, the FIA said. After his arrest, Burney admitted to his involvement in the illegal adoption and trafficking of children.

The activisit runs the Sarim Burney Welfare Trust International, a non-profitable trust “representing the oppressed and less privileged population”, as per the organisation’s website.

According to the website, the trust has been working to procure social justice, for which the organisation has established a legal aid committee comprising professional local and foreign lawyers.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has intesified it crack down against human trafficking across Pakistan.

Earlier, FIA conducted an operation and apprehended nine human smugglers including a senior government officer, in Karachi.

FIA Spokesperson revealed that the arrested individuals were involved in issuing fake educational certificates to students and facilitating them to move abroad under pretenses.