NGO Head Arrested After US Tip on Illegal Child Adoptions
The United States Consulate in Karachi tipped off Pakistani authorities about suspected illegal adoptions, which led to the arrest of the head of a Karachi-based non-governmental organization on charges of child smuggling.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested Mubina Qasim Agboatwala, who runs Hope Ngo after a court rejected her pre-arrest bail. She is accused of sending at least 23 children to the United States.
The FIA’s anti-human trafficking unit began investigating after the US Consulate raised concerns about suspicious adoptions involving Pakistani children. Officials say the children were sent overseas without following legal procedures, and in many cases, their parents were unaware or misled.
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According to investigators, the NGO operated without a valid license from the Sindh Social Welfare Department and used forged documents to declare the children as abandoned or orphaned. These children were then placed with foreign families without proper legal approvals.
Child rights activists say the case highlights serious weaknesses in Pakistan’s child protection system. They are urging the government to improve oversight of organizations involved in child welfare and adoption.
This is the second major case of its kind. In a separate incident, welfare worker Sarim Burney was also arrested on similar charges earlier this year.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and more arrests may follow.
