Pakistan: Raid uncovers clinic involved in delivering vulnerable women, selling babies for profit
Islamabad, March 31 (IANS) A recent raid in Sheikham near Sarai Mughal in Kasur district of Pakistan’s Punjab province uncovered a clinic that allegedly handled deliveries of vulnerable women and sold babies for profit. Arrests were made and clinic was shut, however, it was only a small part of a vast network which thrives due to gaps in oversight as social stigma leaves women unprotected, local media has stated.
Three critical vulnerabilities are often targetted in Pakistan. First, women who face social stigma, especially unmarried mothers, are driven into secrecy, reducing oversight and increasing risk of their exploitation. Second, regulatory frameworks for health facilities are implemented inadequately, enabling unlicensed clinics to function undetected for extended periods, an editorial in Pakistan’s leading daily ‘The Express Tribune’ detailed.
Third, organised intermediaries benefit from these conditions, ensuring that supply and demand continue without halt. Effective intervention required for preventing it requires coordinated approach, according to the newspaper. Law enforcement agencies must deal with cases of infant trafficking as organised criminal activity.
“Clinic and cases must be examined not only for licensing and credentials but also for patterns of suspicious deliveries and connections to broader networks. Investigations should identify all participants, including buyers and facilitators, and financial and logistical links must be traced. Women at risk require confidential support systems and access to regulated adoption frameworks,” The Express Tribune mentioned.
Public awareness initiatives should be implemented to reduce stigma and encourage early reporting of exploitation. Furthermore, a dedicated law enforcement task force is needed which has sole responsibility of dismantling such networks by mapping their operations to find all actors and connections. This must be followed by arrests and punishments being awarded to all those involved in these networks.
–IANS
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