RAWALPINDI: Local police on Saturday arrested a woman for allegedly attempting to sell a newborn baby in Arya Mohallah.

According to police, a case has been arrested against the woman, who is a lady health worker, and the baby has been handed over to the Punjab Child Protection Bureau.

They said a citizen called Rescue 15 and informed officials that a lady health worker was trying to sell a two-day-old baby girl for Rs150,000 in Arya Mohallah.

Waris Khan police ASI Mehboobur Rehman, who was patrolling the area, arrested the woman and recovered the baby.

The police have registered a case under sections 370, 496-B and 328 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance, a police spokesperson said.

ASI Rehman said the incident occurred early in the morning. He said the suspect said she was working as a lady health worker at a basic health unit in Gharibabad.

She told police she was contacted by a woman who sought an appointment to deliver the baby.

He said the suspect visited the woman with her mother, aunt and uncle, adding that the baby’s mother gave the infant to the suspect to raise and left.

The police’s investigating officer also spoke to the complainant, who revealed that he wanted to buy the baby for his sister for Rs40,000 and lodged a complaint with the police because the suspect was charging heavily.

ASI Rehman said the police produced the suspect before the court of area magistrate Yasir Chaudhry, who sent her on judicial remand to Adiala jail.

He said the baby was taken to the Punjab Child Protection Bureau, adding that he would obtain a warrant to arrest the mother for abandoning the baby.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2019