SC gives 2-week for legislation over organs transplant

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday directed the federal and provincial governments to effectively legislate over the issue of human organs and tissues transplant with mass awareness drive.

A three-Judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing of the constitutional petition moved by Asma Jahangir, former president of Supreme Court Bar Association.

The bench directed the chief secretaries to give proper attention to the issue and submit report over compliance of its directive within two weeks.

They were also ordered to take action against the illegal transplant centers by bringing the responsible to book.

During course of proceedings, Dr Haider, representing Capital Administration Transplant Authority, apprised the bench that they had dispatched hard and soft copies of the prepared rules to all provincial governments but Punjab and Khyber Pakhunkhwa had not responded yet.

He stressed for effective and coordinated efforts on parts of all provincial governments and said that the regulations done by Iran had been regarded as the most effective throughout the world.

The Chief Justice observed that poor people were forced to sell out their kidneys but no one was serious about the issue.

He observed that the legislation over the issue should be simple for better understanding of the masses.

The concerned chief secretaries should be held responsible for the illegal trade in his province, he declared.

He lamented that the situation had deteriorated as in every mohallah of Punjab to Rojhan Jamali the concerned authorities had been doing nothing to discourage the illegal trade. "The issue is the most sensitive one but there has been no law, he added.

The CJ further observed that illegal drugs were being sold out at the medical stores openly with no one to take care.

He asked the chief secretaries to take cognizance of the plight of people and create public awareness on the issue.

Further hearing was adjourned for two-week.