KARACHI: Experts and government officials revealed that the conviction rate in Sindh has increased to 16 percent since the establishment of the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory (SFDL) at the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi. In comparison, the conviction rate in other provinces remains around 3 percent.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the 3rd symposium on “Utility of Forensic DNA in Disaster Management and the Criminal Justice System,” held at the Prof. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Auditorium of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), they credited the state-of-the-art SFDL for producing high-quality reports in over 11,000 cases and strengthening the medico-legal system.
Provincial Health Secretary Rehan Iqbal Baloch highlighted that SFDL’s advanced DNA and serology services, along with specialized training for Medico-Legal Officers, have played a pivotal role in raising the conviction rate in Sindh.
Former federal minister Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman termed SFDL a futuristic facility and praised its contribution to science and technology, while ICCBS Director Prof. Muhammad Raza Shah noted that the lab has enabled the police to collect reliable evidence to aid investigations and trials.
Other speakers, including Prof. Iqbal Choudhary, Ms. Nadira Panjwani, Dr. Summaiya Syed, and Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, underscored the lab’s impact on solving complex criminal cases and its role in handling critical incidents like the PIA plane crash. The symposium brought together representatives from the armed forces, Rangers, police, judiciary, Red Cross, and welfare and disaster management organizations.
