A disturbing revelation has emerged from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where five organized networks have been found involved in illegal kidney transplants. These networks were operating systematically across various regions, facilitating unlawful surgeries for hefty payments while exploiting vulnerable individuals.
According to the FIA, multiple operations were conducted over the past year, resulting in the arrest of 18 suspects. Five facilities being used for illegal kidney transplants were also sealed during these raids. Authorities confirmed that patients were charged between Rs. 4 million and Rs. 5 million for each transplant, reflecting the scale and financial magnitude of this illegal operation.
How the Networks Operated
Investigations revealed that agents associated with these networks mainly targeted impoverished individuals from Lahore and other parts of Punjab, particularly those working at brick kilns or struggling with severe financial hardships. Such individuals were easily lured into selling their kidneys for a small amount of money.
The FIA stated that patients from Peshawar and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were taken to Rawalpindi for the actual surgeries, while the initial medical tests and donor matching were conducted in Peshawar. A significant number of surgeons and agents involved in this illegal business also belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Four centers operating in Peshawar, Nowshera, and Mardan were sealed as part of the crackdown. These facilities were often set up in private houses to avoid detection, and establishing such a center reportedly cost around Rs. 3 million.
Authorities further revealed that patients were charged up to Rs. 5 million for a transplant, but donors received only a small fraction—around Rs. 300,000. The rest of the money was distributed among agents, surgeons, and other operators of the network.
The entire process in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was carried out through secret meetings, restricted-access locations, and a chain of dedicated facilitators and intermediaries.
The FIA has so far registered eight FIRs regarding this illegal operation. Under the law, individuals involved in organ trafficking face up to 10 years in prison, and the professional licenses of participating surgeons are suspended.
