Police hope to set up new forensic lab

Say current lab only helps in ballistics cross-matching

KARACHI: The Sindh police are hoping to establish their own proper forensic laboratory by proposing an allocation of Rs78 billion in the upcoming budget.

“We have already decided to establish a new forensic laboratory not like the one we already have,” Sindh IG Allah Dino Khwaja told The Express Tribune. “It was decided in the apex committee meeting that we should have a proper forensic lab because we are already facing too many difficulties in prosecuting criminal cases,” he added.

“We had to call in forensic experts from the Punjab during the investigations of the deadly Baldia factory fire despite having a forensic lab,” said a senior police official, who had been close to the investigation. “The case was very simple if we had proper forensic experts on the very first day.”

History of forensic labs

The first forensic science laboratory in Karachi was established in 1958 at the Central Police Office. Later, the Criminalistics Division was created by merging the pre-partition Fingerprint Bureau with the Florence Science Laboratory in 1983. Finally, the Criminalistics Division was renamed ‘Forensic Division’ in 2009.

Lacking expertise

Right now, the forensic division comprises units for audio visual analysis, digital forensics, examining chemical samples, investigating crime scenes, firearms and ballistics, forensic photography, automated fingerprint identification system and latent fingerprint.



The forensic lab that the Sindh police already have is not a proper forensic laboratory, admitted IG Khwaja. “This lab we have is not a forensics lab but a ballistics cross-matching one,” he explained. “In the new lab, we will have scientists and experts not policemen.”

He estimated that the new laboratory will cost Rs2 billion. “It is up to the home department when and where to establish the laboratory,” he said, adding that it will take some time and will only be confirmed once the budget is announced today (Saturday).

The Sindh police have asked for a 25% increase in the department’s budget so law enforcers can combat street crime properly, especially in Karachi. Previously, Rs61 billion were allocated for Sindh police but, this time, the Sindh police asked for Rs78 billion.

Improving existing functions

With the additional money, the department hopes to improve the current functions of the department as well.

Ballistics cross-matching is one of the most important tools to investigate cases and ascertain the identity of assailants as it enables investigators establish the history of the weapons or shells used in the crime. Currently, the forensics department struggles to identify the nearly 50 gun-related cases that are sent its way nearly every day and examiners have stopped matching the history of empty bullet shells.



“Forensics are really important for investigations and are also admissible as proof in court, which may help convict the criminals,” explained Dr Fateh Burfat, dean of the faculty of criminology at Karachi University. “In the entire world, investigators probe 70% of the cases from [evidence gathered at] the crime scenes.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2016.