The FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle has arrested the chairperson of a private NGO for allegedly smuggling orphaned children abroad under the cover of a welfare organization.

The suspect, identified as Mubina Qasim, was taken into custody after her pre-arrest bail was rejected. The action was initiated on a formal complaint lodged by the US Consulate General in Karachi.

Child trafficking under the guise of adoption

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Qasim is the chairperson of an NGO named Hope, which was allegedly involved in trafficking at least 23 orphaned children between 2006 and 2015. These children were handed over to families in the US, the UK, Canada, the UAE, and Karachi.

The NGO reportedly presented itself as a welfare organization but was never registered with the Sindh Social Welfare Department. It also lacked a licensed shelter facility to house children, raising serious questions about its legitimacy.

Fake documents and international smuggling

FIA officials said Qasim allegedly used forged documents to process US visa applications for the children. These documents included falsified guardianship claims and medical records.

The FIR adds that the children were often found abandoned near hospitals and were then referred to interested families through internal connections within the NGO.

Alert raised by US consulate

The US Consulate flagged the matter to Pakistani authorities after detecting suspicious adoption patterns involving children sponsored by Hope. This prompted the FIA to launch an investigation into the NGO’s activities.

The suspect’s pre-arrest bail was rejected by the court, allowing the FIA to take her into custody for further interrogation. Officials said more arrests are likely as the investigation continues.

Orphaned children exposed to neglect

Beyond trafficking, the FIR highlights that the children under Hope’s care were allegedly fed leftover or second-hand food and denied proper shelter, further compounding the gravity of the violations.