KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Rights activist Sarim Burney has been arrested in Karachi on charges of human trafficking, according to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Burney was detained upon his arrival at the Karachi airport from the United States. The FIA reported that his arrest was made based on a complaint from the US government.
According to FIA sources, Burney is accused of trafficking more than 25 children to the US and facilitating their illegal adoptions. The investigation revealed allegations that 17 children had been smuggled into the US, and a formal investigation into these claims has begun.
Burney is the head of the Sarim Burney Welfare Trust International, a non-profit organization described on its website as representing the oppressed and less privileged. The trust aims to achieve social justice and has established a legal aid committee with both local and international lawyers.
The organization’s website states that it offers legal services for issues such as child abuse, harassment, sexual assault, human trafficking, domestic violence, human rights violations, workers’ compensation rights, and other serious crimes.
