KARACHI: A total of 45 judges, judicial officers, prosecutors, investigation officers, faculty of judicial academy, and medico-legal experts participated in a one-day training visit organized by the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory (SFDL) at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, on Wednesday.
The training aimed to provide participants with firsthand insight into forensic science methodologies and their critical role in criminal investigations.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah, Director of ICCBS; Dr. Summaiya Syed, Police Surgeon Karachi; Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, In-charge and Project Director of SFDL; Dr. Amir Hussain, legal adviser to SFDL, and other experts addressed the participants.
In his inaugural speech, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of science in today’s volatile world for ensuring national security and maintaining law and order. He noted that the increasing prevalence of complex crimes in Pakistan has amplified the need for scientific methods in analyzing physical evidence. He also highlighted the significance of DNA forensic analysis and its implications for the judicial system.
Prof. Shah remarked that since its establishment, SFDL has played a vital role in responding to major disasters and high-profile criminal cases. He also praised Dr. Ishtiaq and his team for their outstanding work at SFDL and for regularly organizing such valuable training sessions for relevant stakeholders.
Dr. Summaiya Syed underscored the importance of proper collection and effective preservation of evidentiary samples, particularly in cases involving survivors of sexual violence and deceased victims. She also stressed the need for accurate documentation of medico-legal certificates and postmortem reports.
The concept of the “Tripod of Justice”, which emphasizes the importance of multi-sectoral coordination among key actors within the criminal justice system, was also discussed.
Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan stated that SFDL has emerged as a leading center for capacity building in forensic science, regularly offering training to judges, investigating officers, medico-legal experts, prosecutors, and crime scene investigators. He added that the laboratory has produced high-quality forensic reports for over 9011cases, covering a broad spectrum of DNA and serology investigations.
Dr. Amir Hussain also talked on forensic evidence and on its implementation in the criminal justice system in Pakistan also discussed criminal law DNA amendments.
Visiting judges and judicial officers observed the laboratory’s operations and expressed satisfaction with its quality of work, praising the state-of-the-art equipment and technical expertise.
A technical session, followed by a question-and-answer segment conducted by Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan and other experts, concluded the training visit.
