Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi has announced the re-arrest of a surgeon named Dr. Fawad, who was allegedly involved in illegal surgeries including kidney transplantation, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Chief Minister Naqvi disclosed that Dr. Fawad had confessed to conducting a staggering 328 illegal kidney surgical procedures.
He commended the Lahore police for their relentless efforts in tracking down the entire gang involved in this illicit activity.
The accused, Fawad Mumtaz Khan, had been recently transported to Lahore from Attock Jail.
Shockingly, he managed to escape while being escorted to the scene of the crime. The escape unfolded when two armed individuals intercepted the police officers responsible for transferring Fawad Mumtaz, ultimately fleeing with the accused.
Dr. Fawad Mumtaz is involved in kidney transplants for numerous individuals, including foreign nationals from China and Saudi Arabia. Notably, he had also performed a kidney transplant for the late actor Umar Sharif's daughter.
Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi further stated the illegal kidney transplant network, operated by the accused, has been in existence since 2006.
Furthermore, Naqvi revealed that eight individuals associated with the gang have been apprehended thus far, with one of them reportedly being a motor mechanic who assisted the surgeon during the surgical procedures.
Efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining individuals involved in facilitating the accused's activities.
Remarkably, Chief Minister Punjab disclosed that the illicit network had extended its operations into Azad Kashmir, highlighting the need for a comprehensive crackdown on this illegal organ trade.