ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of the Senate Committee on National Health Services (NHS) has rejected a proposal to seek input from religious scholars in its study of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill 2016.

Dr Saeed Akhtar of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute made the suggestion while briefing the sub-committee, which met under its chairman, DrAshok Kumar of the National Party, to discuss the bill on Thursday.

But the mover of the bill, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Senator Azam Khan Swati, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Senator Mian Ateeg Sheikh strongly opposed the idea.

Senator Swati said that parliamentarians also understand religion and there was no need to seek help of religious scholars.

`It is a matter of legislation about health and should be decided by health experts and bureaucrats,` he said.

Mian Ateeg, on the other hand, asked members of the committee which religious scholars should be asked for help, those who appear on TV or those who serve in mosques.

`Religious scholars will create problems for organ transplant so they should not be involved,` he said.Dr Akhter later stated that the trade in organs was higher in Punjab compared to other areas and suggested that the provincial transplant authorities should be abolished.

Chairman of the sub-committee Dr Ashok Kumar said people need to be made aware of the importance of organ donation and encouraged to do so.

`People should be asked if they want to be a donor when they are applying for their CNIC, driving licence and other documents.

I announce that I want to donate my organs after I die,` he said.

Additional Secretary Ministry of NHS, Dr Mohammad Hashim Popalzai said various committees were discussing five bills on the organtransplantissue.

`We are thinking about combining all the bills into one comprehensive bill so that allthe issues related to human organ transplant could be addressed,` he said.

Af ter consulting Senator Swati, the chair agreed with the idea and asked the official to include the proposals in Mr Swati`s bill in it.

Experts say the lives of 27 persons can be saved if one person agrees to donate his body organs after death. But there is no awareness of the benefits of organ donation in the country.

The trade in human organs, involving some health institutions and departments, thrives on this unawareness.

In July last year the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights suggested increasing punishments against the illegal sale-purchase of human organs and also suggested putting a ban onissuance of visas for medical treatment to foreigners.