Abandoned babies given away on Pakistani TV programme

Orla Guerin, BBC News

Two baby girls were given over to new adoptive parents live on a television program inPakistan. The program, "Amaan Ramzan," airs during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and its host, Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain, is known to give away prizes such as cars, motorbikes, household electronics and, now, babies. The host claims that the babies were not given away as a ploy for ratings, but to unite children in need of a home with new parents looking to welcome them. According to the article, the two infants were found abandoned in the city ofKarachiand were taken in by a local charity. The adoptive parents (two couples who each adopted one of the girls) were vetted by the private charity Chhipa Welfare Association prior to the show’s airing, in a process that took less than two weeks (a typical timeframe for adoptions in the area). The couples had been waiting for 14 and 17 years, respectively, for children, according to the article. Each couple expressed gratitude, stating that they felt “blessed” to have been given the opportunity to adopt these children and hoped that by adopting the babies on TV, it would encourage others to adopt as well. Neither couple felt that there was anything wrong with being given their daughters live on television, says the article.

But child welfare agencies in the region worry about maintaining confidentiality when adoptions occur in front of such a wide audience. Furthermore, some child welfare advocates are taking issue with the manner in which the girls were given to their adoptive parents. “The baby was given like a car, laptop, or motorcycle. It's an insult to the baby and the parents. It should have been done quietly," said Seema Jamali, assistant director of child welfare for the Sindh provincial government. The live TV adoption also calls attention to the adoption process inPakistan. According to the article, the babies were adopted without any state regulation, which is how most children are given new homes because adoption does not exist under Islamic law. Sharjeel Memon, information minister for Sindh, reported to the BBC that he believes it is time to make the adoption process more transparent and to establish a proper legal framework for it. Ultimately, there has been no public outcry inPakistanover the television baby giveaway, the article states, and many are glad that the babies have been given new homes.