Call for transparency in forensic practices

IHC judge highlights shortage of judges, backlog of cases & outdated probe methods

ISLAMABAD:

At an event focused on a national dialogue regarding "Medico-legal law in Pakistan and the need for harmony among stakeholders" Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of Islamabad High Court said that the population of Islamabad is 4.5 million and there are 72 judges for this city while 54,000 cases are pending.

He said that modern methods are used for investigation all over the world, but Pakistan relies on old investigation methods. "Investigation officers in the country still do not know how to write a case report, when a case is not prepared properly, the accused are given the benefit of doubt on technical grounds. There is a need to make new laws. The federal and provincial governments need to amend the Medico-Legal Acts. Forensic teams and police department must be separate department," he said.

He further said that forensics and police have separate departments all over the world, stressing the need to separate the departments. "There is a need to train doctors in the context of court cases. The federal and provincial governments need to amend the medico-legal acts. There is a need to differentiate between doctors who prepare medico-legal certificates and general doctors. Doctors do not issue medico-legal certificates for various reasons," he asserted.

He went onto say that the Islamabad Forensic Authority has been in existence for 22 years but intended steps are not taken. "The accused are often given benefit of doubt on technical grounds, but the victim suffers," he said. He then pointed out that the Punjab Forensic Agency is a good example. Punjab Forensic played a key role in solving the Zainab case and the Motorway rape case.

He said that there are 2 major hospitals in Islamabad, and that they are over-crowded and the number of doctors in these hospitals is insufficient. "There is a need to establish more hospitals in Islamabad. Medical certificates are not made properly by giving the excuse of the number of doctors being less," he pointed out.