NAB’s forensic lab becomes operational
New facility would focus on digital, fingerprint and dubious documents
NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry speaks after reviewing the bureau’s forensic lab. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD:
A forensic science lab built by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Islamabad has become operational.
This was disclosed by NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry while reviewing the bureau’s lab on Friday, a statement said.
He added that the lab had been made operational with an aim to equip NAB with the latest technology to cater to its emerging needs to eliminate the menace of corruption from society.
Fighting corruption: NAB recovered Rs45b in two and a half years
Chaudhry added that the lab was meeting professional requirements and equipped with all basic tools to give expert evidence.
Addressing NAB officers after reviewing the progress of the lab, Chaudhry hoped that with help of a properly functioning forensic lab investigation officers (IOs) probing corruption cases would produce better and quick results.
He said that the Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in Islamabad had three sections including digital forensics, fingerprint forensics and dubious documents.
Lab, he said, was helping retrieve documents from electronic devices such as cell phones, computers and iPads to determine who had authored them and to analyse handwriting. Further, it was tracking the identity dubious scripts and printed documents to detect forgeries in such documents and to determine interpolation, additions or overwriting and substitution of papers.
Moreover, it would work on suspicious fingerprints for comparison and identification purposes.
The NAB chief explained that officers posted at the lab possessed a basic qualification in these sections, and had been given several pieces of training by UNODC, ICT Police, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other relevant organisations.
Illegal petroleum sale: Top court directs NAB to probe 14-year-old scam
He said it was encouraging that anti-corruption has been made a part of the development agenda in the context of governance.
“If we in Pakistan want to become a developed nation, it can only be possible when we uproot corruption from society and show zero tolerance against this menace,” Chaudhry said.
“Our experience at fighting corruption has led us to understand that enforcement alone cannot be the cure to corruption. It requires a coordinated and a concerted effort with a three-pronged strategy of awareness, prevention and enforcement,” he said.
Enumerating the achievements and initiatives of the bureau, Chaudhry said that NAB was striving to rid the nation of corruption and corrupt practices by adopting a zero-tolerance policy across-the-board.
He said that the concept of Combined Investigation Team (CIT) has been introduced as investigation officers and prosecution are working as a team to ensure transparency and unbiased investigations.
The NAB chief said that it was their responsibility to educate the public on the ill-effects of corruption and to make it aware of its adverse effects lies greatly with the media etc. It is heartening to see that media was playing a proactive role in this drive, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2017.
A forensic science lab built by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Islamabad has become operational.
This was disclosed by NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry while reviewing the bureau’s lab on Friday, a statement said.
He added that the lab had been made operational with an aim to equip NAB with the latest technology to cater to its emerging needs to eliminate the menace of corruption from society.
Fighting corruption: NAB recovered Rs45b in two and a half years
Chaudhry added that the lab was meeting professional requirements and equipped with all basic tools to give expert evidence.
Addressing NAB officers after reviewing the progress of the lab, Chaudhry hoped that with help of a properly functioning forensic lab investigation officers (IOs) probing corruption cases would produce better and quick results.
He said that the Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in Islamabad had three sections including digital forensics, fingerprint forensics and dubious documents.
Lab, he said, was helping retrieve documents from electronic devices such as cell phones, computers and iPads to determine who had authored them and to analyse handwriting. Further, it was tracking the identity dubious scripts and printed documents to detect forgeries in such documents and to determine interpolation, additions or overwriting and substitution of papers.
Moreover, it would work on suspicious fingerprints for comparison and identification purposes.
The NAB chief explained that officers posted at the lab possessed a basic qualification in these sections, and had been given several pieces of training by UNODC, ICT Police, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other relevant organisations.
Illegal petroleum sale: Top court directs NAB to probe 14-year-old scam
He said it was encouraging that anti-corruption has been made a part of the development agenda in the context of governance.
“If we in Pakistan want to become a developed nation, it can only be possible when we uproot corruption from society and show zero tolerance against this menace,” Chaudhry said.
“Our experience at fighting corruption has led us to understand that enforcement alone cannot be the cure to corruption. It requires a coordinated and a concerted effort with a three-pronged strategy of awareness, prevention and enforcement,” he said.
Enumerating the achievements and initiatives of the bureau, Chaudhry said that NAB was striving to rid the nation of corruption and corrupt practices by adopting a zero-tolerance policy across-the-board.
He said that the concept of Combined Investigation Team (CIT) has been introduced as investigation officers and prosecution are working as a team to ensure transparency and unbiased investigations.
The NAB chief said that it was their responsibility to educate the public on the ill-effects of corruption and to make it aware of its adverse effects lies greatly with the media etc. It is heartening to see that media was playing a proactive role in this drive, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2017.