In the entirety of the province, only one institution is capable of preparing forensic reports while the process for collecting evidence did not follow international standards.
This was disclosed by police officers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Thursday during a meeting of the Senate Special Committee on Protection of Children. The committee met in the Parliament House with Senator Rubina Khalid in the chair.
During the meeting, the committee sought an update on progress made in the brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Nowshera last year.
The Nowshera District Police Officer (DPO) told the committee that the suspect has been arrested and is currently detained at the Mardan Jail.
A trial against him is underway in a local court while the next hearing of the case is scheduled for October 3, the officer added.
The convener of the committee asked whether any action was taken against the doctor who failed to perform a post-mortem of the minor victim.
At this, the police official defended the doctor by saying that forensic reports can only be prepared at just one location in the entire province, the Khyber Medical College (KMC), and nowhere else.
The answer shocked committee members.
On a question about the process of collecting evidence, the DPO had further startling news to share.
He said that in the rest of the world, police first collect forensic evidence and then search for and book suspects in light of the evidence.
In Pakistan, however, things happen in a completely different manner. By the time the police arrive at the crime scene, most of the evidence has already been destroyed or wiped away. Moreover, the officer said that police first seek and book a suspect and then look for evidence.
The DPO pointed out that by then, most of the forensic evidence has been lost and suspects are naturally acquitted by the courts for lack of evidence.
Senator Khalid asked the police officer to identify the loopholes in the law, if any, due to which suspects are acquitted.
It was further decided that members of the panel will visit all the four provinces for comprehensive legislation on child abuse cases.
She further said that legislation on child abuse and labour cases was urgently required in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2020.
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