Sarim Burney's bail rejected in child trafficking case

The Karachi City Court on Monday denied the bail application of social activist Sarim Burney, who is accused of illegally sending children abroad and engaging in child trafficking.

Judicial Magistrate East announced that the court had reserved its decision on Burney’s bail application in the pending human trafficking case after hearing the arguments from both sides.

The FIA prosecutor argued that more evidence was needed to be collected and that granting bail to the accused would result in tampering with evidence. He also stated that the accused had been lying continuously and that further revelations came to light during the investigation.

The mother of a victim stated that when she contacted Sarim Burney to get her daughter back, he refused to hand over the child. The prosecutor argued that granting bail to the accused would influence the investigation.

After the hearing, defence lawyer and Karachi Bar President Amir Nawaz Warraich told the media that they have not yet received the written decision but are not satisfied with the verdict.

He claimed that the case was clear, with the children mentioned present in court, and there were no direct complainants or any complaints in the matter. He expressed that, under the circumstances, the bail should not have been denied.

FIA alleges that renowned social worker was detained on charges related to human trafficking, including smuggling and illegally sending more than 25 children to the US for adoption, following a complaint filed by American authorities against his Sarim Burney Welfare Trust on the charges of fraud and fasifying documents.