ISLAMABAD: Social worker Sarim Burney has filed for bail in connection with allegations of human trafficking. His lawyer denounced the charges as ‘baseless’ during a court session on Monday.
Burney was detained on June 5 at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi upon his return from the United States.
During the bail hearing before the Judicial Magistrate of Karachi East, Burney’s lawyer argued that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had prematurely leveled allegations without conducting a thorough investigation. “The toddler was left at the hospital by the parents themselves, and now accusations involving the transfer of Rs3 million are being surfaced without proof,” the lawyer stated.
He further explained that the adoption processes handled by Burney were conducted through legitimate procedures, and the FIA has not substantiated its accusations. The court has requested the FIA to respond to Burney’s bail application.
The FIA’s case against Burney includes charges of trafficking newborn babies to the United States.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Burney is accused of trafficking 20 newborns over the past year under the guise of adoption, with 15 of these being girls.
The FIR specifically mentions a newborn girl, Haya, allegedly bought from her parents for Rs1 million and trafficked to the US. The agency claims Haya was the most recent case in this alleged scheme.
