The Anti-Human Trafficking Team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) detained Sarim Burney, a renowned human rights activist, in Karachi on Wednesday. Burney, reportedly wanted by the FIA for alleged involvement in serious offenses, including human trafficking, had been under surveillance by the agency for some time prior to his arrest.

Burney was taken into custody immediately upon his arrival at Karachi Airport from the United States (US).

Who is Sarim Burney?

Sarim Burney is a prominent figure in Pakistan known for his tireless efforts in advocating for human rights and aiding marginalized communities. He established the Sarim Burney Welfare Trust International in 1990, dedicated to addressing various social issues such as human trafficking, domestic violence, child welfare, and poverty alleviation.

The Sarim Burney Welfare Trust International, a non-profit organization founded and chaired by Burney, focuses on combating human trafficking, rescuing and rehabilitating victims of bonded labor and domestic violence, and safeguarding at-risk children. The trust offers shelter, legal aid, medical assistance, and vocational training to empower individuals towards self-sufficiency.

Sarim Burney is also the brother of Ansar Burney, a prominent philanthropist who served as Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Human Rights from 2007 to 2008. In 2012, a public incident involving the on-air conversion of a Hindu boy to Islam caused a rift between the Burney brothers, with one supporting the act and the other denouncing it as a ‘drama’. At that time, Sarim held the position of vice-chairman at the Ansar Burney Trust, originally established as the Prisoners Aid Society in 1980.