PESHAWAR: For the first time in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, doctors have retrieved organs from a 14-year-old boy, who was declared brain dead, before transplanting them to five deserving patients.

Officials said it’s the first case of the local deceased organ donor in which a man agreed to donate his young boy’s corneas, kidneys and liver, which were transplanted to five patients in Peshawar and Lahore.

They said the Medical Transplant Regulatory Authority (MTRA) gave go-ahead for the procedure following the consent of Noor Dad Khan, the father of Jawad Khan.

The MTRA management has termed the case a “remarkable sacrifice” of a matriculation student from Rustam village in Mardan district.

Boy’s organs transplanted to five patients

“We lost our son but wanted to receive the blessings of the Almighty Allah, so we donated his organs to save lives of needy and terminally-ill people,” Noor Dad told Dawn.

According to him, his son met with an accident on the way to school last Saturday and was declared brain dead at the Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.

According to doctors involved in the process, the healthcare system of the province has set a shining example of humanity, compassion and solidarity.

Under the leadership and supervision of MTRA chairman Prof Asif Malik, a life-changing act of service has been successfully carried out, giving new life to multiple patients through the gift of organ donation, according to them.

They said in a critical situation and in an extraordinary act of courage and empathy, the boy’s father, who runs a flour machine in the native village, made the brave decision to donate his son’s organs to save lives.

The doctors said following Noor Dad’s consent, specialised medical teams from leading national institutions sprang into action to retrieve his son’s organs.

They said a liver retrieval team arrived from the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) Lahore and a kidney retrieval team from the Institute of Kidney Diseases (IKD), CMH and Bahria International Hospital Rawalpindi, HMC Peshawar.

The doctors said corneas were retrieved by a team from the Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology, HMC and Peshawar.

Officials at the MTRA said all organs were successfully retrieved at HMC and transplanted to deserving patients at IKD, PICO and PKLI, offering them a second chance at life.

“Jawad Khan has now become a symbol of humanity, sacrifice, and hope. His story is a powerful reminder of the life-saving impact of organ donation,” an official said.

He said MTRA, along with all participating institutions, including IKD, PICO/HMC, and PKLI deeply honor the decision of Jawad’s family and salute their strength during an unimaginably difficult time, said doctors.

The official said the family’s selfless act would continue to inspire others to recognise the profound importance of organ donation in saving lives.

When contacted, Dr Yasir Murad, executive officer of Murad Eye Bank at PICO HMC, said it was the first-ever corneal retrieval that was transplanted to two patients.

He said the corneal team of Murad Eye Bank transplanted both corneas to most deserving patients on the waiting list.

“A historic milestone was achieved with a hope that more and more people will follow the footsteps of Noor Dad khan by donating the organs which are life-saving for so many patients in waiting for these organs,” he said.

He said the Murad Eye Bank, established in 2018 in the memory of Prof Murad, pioneer of ophthalmology in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has transplanted 105 corneas free of cost to patients. All the corneas were sent as donations through the courtesy of APPNA and by the efforts of Dr Fawad Zaffar from the US.

“The Murad Eye Bank has so far transplanted 510 corneas, all donated by APPNA,” Dr Yasir said, urging people to follow the example of Khan to restore people’s vision.

He said Jawad’s legacy should light the way for a more compassionate and life-affirming society.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2025