District and Sessions Judge Rafique Hussain Shah, Mansehra District Bar Association President Shahjahan Khan Swati, Senior Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Mohammad Ilyas, District Police Officer Ijaz Ahmad Khan, King Abdullah Teaching Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Niaz Mohammad and others spoke on the occasion.

The speakers highlighted the problems faced by their respective departments and underscored the need for removing the bottlenecks to provide justice to the litigants. Rafique Hussain Shah said the flaws and ambiguities in the investigation process were the major cause for the accused to avoid conviction. “I assure you nobody would escape justice if the lawyers attend the court proceedings regularly and the police provide solid forensic evidence,” he said. Shahjahan Khan Swati said those talking about the justice system in Europe should take into account the resources and facilities at the disposal of the relevant departments there.

DPO Ijaz Ahmad Khan believed the Police Order 2002 was the main hurdle in the way of effective policing. Dr Niaz Mohammad admitted the delay in the medico- legal cases but explained the reasons for it. “I have only one doctor at the Casualty Department who examines all the patients. Is it possible for him to write the post-mortem and other medico legal reports,” he asked, calling upon the judges to exempt doctors, particularly lady doctors, from appearing in the court on short notices.