Police said Shama paid the bills, took the newborn under the guise of help and then sold the baby to a couple in Punjab
Mother holds her newborn baby after the child was found by the Punjab police following a case of abduction and illegal sale. Photo by author
Police in Karachi have found a newborn who was allegedly abducted and sold in Punjab and returned the child to his parents, officials said on Sunday. The case has prompted authorities to seal off the clinic where the child was born as the search continues for two suspects accused of orchestrating the trafficking.
According to police, the child was taken from Zehra Clinic in Memon Goth soon after birth. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Abdul Khaliq Pirzada said clinic worker Shama Baloch and a woman identified as Dr. Zahra was involved in “selling the child in Punjab.”
“Several raids have been conducted. Both suspects will be nabbed soon and brought to justice,” SSP Pirzada said, confirming that no arrests have been made so far.
Read: FIA files case against six SIU officials over Karachi deaths
The case came to light after the infant’s father, Sarang, filed a complaint. His wife, Shehnaz, who had been living with her parents due to domestic problems, was advised by Dr. Zahra to undergo a caesarean section. When the family said they could not afford the surgery, the doctor referred them to Shama, who claimed she worked with an organization that helped poor families.
Police said Shama paid the medical expenses and after the birth, he took the newborn on the pretext of support. But when Sarang tried to contact the clinic about his child, he got Shama’s number, which was later found switched off. Fearing that his child had been sold, he alerted the authorities.
“Shama introduced himself as an NGO worker and convinced the mother that the child would have a better future if it was handed over,” said SSP Pirzada. “The mother was unaware that the baby would be trafficked.”
Investigation soon revealed that the baby had not been handed over to any NGO as claimed, but was instead sold to a childless couple in Punjab.
Also read: Karachi woman dresses as man to support family
The case has been registered with charges of, among other things, kidnapping and human trafficking under Section 363 and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings Act, 2018.
Police confirmed that pressure on the suspects led to the baby being brought back from Punjab. The infant has since been reunited with his parents.
The authorities have sealed the Zehra Clinic and are now reviewing whether similar cases may have taken place. The search for the two suspects continues.
