Human trafficking case: FIA produces Sarim Burney in city court

KARACHI: Social worker Sarim Burney Thursday was produced before the judicial magistrate east at the city court after his arrest by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at the Jinnah International Airport a day earlier.

Burney, according to the FIA, has been arrested on charges of human trafficking which includes smuggling and illegally sending children to the US. 

He was, as per FIA, accused of trafficking more than 25 children to the US and illegally getting them adopted in the country. He has also been accused of fraud and falsification of documents, said the agency.

Subsequently, the allegations of smuggling children to the US triggered an investigation against the social worker.

FIA's investigation officer requested the court to order Burney's physical remand for investigation regarding the matter.

Lawyer Syed Asif Ali was representing Burney in the case. He requested the court to spare some time for the social worker's team of counsels to arrive at the court following which court allowed them 15 minutes, adjourning the case for some time.

"Initially, there were reports that Sarim Burney was being taken to the Malir court. Our legal team had gone there," the lawyer said, asking court to provide some respite.

Earlier today, the FIA said that the social worker admitted "wrongdoing" in the human trafficking case against him in the wake of his arrest.

"Sarim Burney was interrogated twice. He admitted making a mistake in the initial statement following his arrest," said the officials.

Burney — who runs the Sarim Burney Welfare Trust International, a non-profitable entity — was arrested in Karachi on Wednesday after landing in the city from the United States.

The arrest came after a complaint regarding him was made by the American authorities.

The FIA further revealed that the social worker was also under surveillance by authorities in the US during his recent visit. The FIA officials told  that the US authorities are also investigating the social worker's child trafficking.

The FIA confirmed the development after registering a case in its human trafficking cell against Burney. "More cases of child trafficking and money laundering will be registered against Sarim Burney," said the officials.

On the other hand, sources told  said that the record of the children transferred to the US was provided to the FIA ​​authorities by the embassy.

The social worker has been accused of smuggling a newborn girl named Haya to the US, FIA said.

"More than 15 among those sent to the US are girls," said the agency's officials.

The officials added that Burney bought the baby from her parents for Rs1 million and sent her to the US. "More than one person assisted Sarim Burney in the purchase of the girl."

The FIA officials have recorded the statement of the baby's parents who, it added, are extremely poor.

In the case registered against Burney, he has been accused of smuggling at least 20 newborn babies in a year for adoption by parents in the US, said the FIA.

Meanwhile, the sources said that his Burney's wife, Aliya, is also a beneficiary in the trust's documents.

They added that Burney's wife can also be named in the case after the documents are confirmed by the Sindh government.