ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday referred a bill on human organ transplantation to the joint session of the Parliament.

The bill titled ‘Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ was passed by the National Assembly but could not sail through the upper house.

Once passed by the joint sitting of parliament it will become possible to get organs of deceased people, who died in accidents or were declared brain dead.

Considering the importance of the bill the National Assembly speaker referred it to the joint sitting for consideration and passage.

Bill passed by National Assembly failed to sail through Senate

Mover of the bill MNA Kishwer Zehra, who belongs to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), while talking to Dawn, said the issue of human organ smuggling and illegal transplantation had been prevailing in Pakistan since long just because of lack of enabling environment and legislation.

“Since decades mafias have been involved in getting kidney and other organs of people for just Rs50,000 and they are transplanted to people for hundreds of thousands of rupees. Even people come to Pakistan from abroad for organ transplantation,” she said.

Ms Zehra said that a few years back efforts were made by the parliamentarians to stop the illegal business and legislation was made that the only close blood relative or husband and wife can donate organs to each other.

“I have suggested that the organs of dead bodies should be transplanted to people as according to studies one dead body’s organs such as kidney, eyes, heart, lungs, etc can be given to 17 persons,” she said.

When asked that how it will be possible, Ms Zehra said that she has suggested that at the time of issuance of Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) or driving licence people should be asked that if they want to become organ donor or not.

“If a person would agree to donate his/her organs, it would be mentioned on the CNIC or deriving licence. In case of accident or brain death organs remain alive for 72 hours or they can be transplanted in 72 hours so hospital staff will remove the organs and will inform the registry, which will be dealing with organs. Tissues will be matched and organs will be transplanted to patients,” she said.

The MQM parliamentarian said that a large number of people could not afford to buy organs so they would get free of cost organs and a large number of lives would be saved.

“That practice will also eradicate the illegal business as people will get free of cost organs so they will never approach the black market. Moreover, innocent people, who are either deprived of organs either by giving them some money or by deceiving them, will also be saved. So it will be win-win situation for everyone,” Ms Zehra said.

Replying to a question, she said that earlier majority of people did not want to become donors but during past few years awareness has been increased and people want to save life of other people. So a number of people will happily become donors, she said.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2023