The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is troubling women from Edhi Welfare Homes who married and couples who adopted babies from the shelter homes, said Bilquis Edhi of the Edhi Welfare Organisation on Wednesday, denying that any girl at EWO has ever been forcibly married. She was raising concerns over the FIA's human trafficking cell seizing records of various welfare organisations and shelter homes a day prior. The FIA took records for the past 10 years, including details of orphan girls' marriages, adopted children, heirless individuals and bodies, from the Sarim Burney Trust International, Edhi Foundation and Chhipa Welfare Association, among others. After the FIA’s action, an Edhi Foundation spokesperson had said FIA officials were also summoning married girls and their husbands, as well as couples who had adopted children from the shelter homes, in order to verify data. The FIA raided all the shelter homes and summoned women who have lived there or are currently living there, said Bilquis, adding that the interrogation was distressing the women.

Source: The Express Tribune November 19, 2020 05:26 UTC