KARACHI, Aug 1: Speakers at a seminar stressed the need for effective laws to remove the ambiguity surrounding the process of adoption in the country.

The seminar, “An Overview of Adoption of Children in Pakistan”, was organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) at the Vickey Zietlin Media Library here on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, Anwer Kazmi of Edhi Foundation told the audience that since launching of its operation in the country 50 years ago by the foundation, some 35000 children had been adopted by Pakistanis in the country and abroad.

He said:”Earlier 60 % of illegitimate children were killed by their parents, but following the request by Edhi to hand them over to the foundation the figure had gone down drastically, to 20%. Some 295 Edhi centres across the country take in 600 to 700 children annually, 99 % of them are girls dropped by their parents. Later all of them are brought to Karachi at Bilquis Edhi Centre where they are well cared for”.

He said that such children were handed over to desiring childless couples after thorough scrutiny and investigation. “The process of monitoring by Bilquis Edhi continues for two to three years to ensure that they are treated well. In case of any complaint, the foundation reserves the right to take the them back”, he said.

Zia Awan, president of the Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA), in his speech, said that in the absence of proper laws, the adoption procedure was always seen with suspicion.

“Generally embassies do not raise objections and grant approval on documents prepared by the adoptive parents. In most cases there is no record of the religion or the cast of the adopted child and how he was treated in Pakistan or abroad by his adoptive parents. There have been cases in which people took children abroad and exploited them. In several instances their organs were taken out or they were used in the camel race in some gulf countries”, said Mr Awan.

Dr Musarrat Hussain, head of the Department of Psychology, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC), said that such children must be informed when 4 to 5 years old about their real status. This way the adoptive parents can help them adjust with their families at a later stage.

“If not informed, a sense of betrayal develops into their personality when they are told by other people of their adoption. It causes them to be inclined to drugs, violence and other crimes”, he said.

Mrs Imtiaz Kamal, secretary general National Committee for Maternal Health, differed with the view that children should only be given for adoption to childless couples, saying that those living alone, without sons or daughters, also want to adopt children. She said her organization was working to reduce maternal mortality in the country as Pakistan had the highest maternal death ratio. Samina Ishaq, director PPF, also spoke on the occasion.—PPI