Bone marrow issue: Gang smashed

Hafiz Muhammad Aziz-ur-Rehman

HAFIZABAD: The police have smashed a gang of four imposters who allegedly used to extract bone marrow and other fluid from the backbones of scores of young girls on the pretext of providing heavy amount out of Prime Minister Jahez Fund.

The police have arrested Muhammad Aslam Hunjra, his wife Amina Bibi, Nadeem Iqbal, Irfan and started investigation.

According police source, Nadeem Iqbal Ghaffari of Mohallah Sharifpura and other accused lured young poor and illiterate girls and advised them to visit the house of Muhammad Aslam Hunjra on Kassoki road where they had set up a so-called clinic for medical checkup. According to the complainant Sarfraz Ahmad, the accused also enticed him to send his daughter Kinza to the so-called clinic for medical checkup where they allegedly extracted bone marrow and some fluid from her backbone few days ago and also collected her picture and copy of CNIC for providing her Jahez Fund. Since then she fell ill and become weaker and weaker despite medical treatment.

Thereupon, the police raided the so-called clinic and arrested Muhammad Aslam Hunjra and his wife Amina Bibi and seized large quantity of syringes, copies of CNIC and pictures of scores of the affected girls.

The other two members of the gang including ring leader Nadeem Iqbal and Irfan managed their escape. However, the police chased them and arrested them promptly. The main accused Nadeem Iqbal, who posed himself as an employee of DHQ Hospital, confessed that he had extracted bone marrow and other fluid from the backbones of fifteen girls so far and have sold them to one Sajidan  employee of the Kidney Ward of the DHQ Hospital Hafizabad. When questioned, a renowned surgeon admitted that bone marrow can be extracted from the backbone to transplant it for curing Aplaspic Amenia.

Meanwhile, Saira Afzal Tarar, Minister for Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has taken serious notice and strongly condemned the alleged incident of extracting bone marrow etc. from the backbones of some girls by some imposters and constituted five members inquiry committee headed by DC Saleha Saeed to make a through probe to real facts ascertain the real facts within three days so that strict action should be taken against the accused. The other members of the inquiry committee included Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Shahid Gondal, Medical Superintendent Dr. Rehamn Azhar, DSP Saddar Hafizabad and a representative of Health Department of Punjab Government.