KARACHI: On Thursday, a local court granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a two-day physical remand of renowned rights activist Sarim Burney, who is facing charges of human smuggling.
Judicial Magistrate Khaleequ Zaman approved the remand after Investigation Officer Chaudhry Bilal presented Burney in court, following his arrest on charges of human trafficking. The IO requested a 14-day physical remand to record Burney’s statement, obtain relevant documents, and apprehend his co-accused, citing concerns about potential evidence destruction.
After considering the arguments, the magistrate granted a two-day remand, instructing the FIA to produce Burney upon completion along with a progress report. The court also denied Burney’s request to be discharged from the case.
Burney’s lawyer argued for his release, claiming the charges were false and highlighting Burney’s significant contributions to society. “Sarim has received awards for social services. He cannot imagine doing anything wrong,” the lawyer stated.
Burney, who runs the Sarim Burney Welfare Trust International, was detained on Wednesday after arriving at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi from the United States.
According to the FIA, he is accused of smuggling and illegally sending children to the US, with American authorities filing a complaint against him. He allegedly trafficked over 25 children for illegal adoption in the US and has also been accused of fraud and document falsification.
The allegations led to an investigation by the FIA, whose officer requested Burney’s physical remand for further inquiry. Lawyer Syed Asif Ali, representing Burney, requested additional time for the defense team to arrive, which the court granted.
The FIA reported that Burney admitted to “wrongdoing” during his initial interrogation. Authorities in the US had also been monitoring Burney during his recent visit. The FIA has filed a case in its human trafficking cell and indicated that more charges, including child trafficking and money laundering, would follow.
According to sources, the US embassy provided records of children transferred to the US. Burney has been specifically accused of smuggling a newborn girl named Haya to the US, allegedly purchasing her from her impoverished parents for Rs1 million. The FIA claims that Burney trafficked at least 20 newborns in a year for adoption by US parents.
