PFSA a wonder of the world indeed!

A column was already due on billionaire Punjab government’s efficiency shown in disbursement of six billion plus rupees in just 10 days to the households and businesses affected by Orange Line Train project that I was invited along with other colleagues to have a thorough inspection of Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) laboratory at Thokar Niaz Beg Lahore.

I don’t know whether, with the passage of time, people will call the Orange Train’s speedy disbursement process a wonder in the contemporary world of bureaucratic practices but I’m fully inclined to call the Lahore Forensic laboratory a wonder of the 21st century. Since it happens to be the second biggest full-service forensic lab of the world and the biggest in Asia, I think I can take the liberty of calling it the second biggest full-service wonder of the world.

That Punjab, especially its Chief Minister, Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, is going so passionate about eradication of both the crime and the ‘Thana culture’, is an eye-opener for me. I take Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on his words not that he is an old pal since 1992/93 when he was an MPA and I was an elected president of Punjab Assembly Press Gallery but also because of his forceful way of conveying the facts and figures for media’s appreciation. However, I give full marks to the CM relying more on the statement given by the forensic science prodigy Dr Tahir, Director-General of PFSA.

Not entering into any debate on the scale and level of meritorious services rendered towards his compatriots, Dr Tahir can be given the epithet of ‘Dr Qadeer the Second’ following his heroic decision to leave three huge and hefty‘Ps’ -perks, privileges and prestige-of foreign, western lands (United States)just in order to empower his own fellow countrymen (I don’t intend to draw any parallel between the most successful forensic science expert of the East and the West, I mean Dr Tahir and Dr Abdul Qadeer, father of Pakistan’s A-bomb).

As for my calling the PFSA DG a wonder man and the most successful expert in his area, it is easily discernible from the fact that he has helped Punjab, rather Pakistan (lab is providing service to all the provinces and institutions including ordinary courts of law and military courts) in eradicating ‘Thana culture’ as well as crime. Obviously, where there is science, there is no (personal) discretion or whim. And where there is no personal whim or sweet will, there is no (or very little) corruption.

Thus goes the philosophy of governance that is presently governing Punjab’s existing Revenue and Police investigation systems (‘Patwari culture’ has also been done away with following the computerization of land record, as also told ‘sobbingly’ the other day by a Naib Tehsildar of Revenue in his informal chat with me during a visit to Sahiwal’s energy project).

The situation now is that the whims of the SHOs, DSPs and other cops are no more because forensic science has come to the rescue of the hapless, resourceless citizens who have always sufferedtill the recent past because of their failure to counter the sway of the influential and wealthy criminals and their patrons. The criminals used to get away scot-free by dint of their money paid in heavy bribes to police officials, prosecutors, chemical examiners and other office-holders in the country’s criminal justice system.

Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, by picking up another passionate and committed person like himself, namely Dr Tahir as Director-General of the most modern and most well-equipped forensic lab whose testimony enjoys quite a credibility in the well-reputed police, prosecution and judicial systems of advanced foreign countries, has put the corrupt practices on the reverse gear. It was really amazing to know that Norway, Egypt, UK (Scotland Yard), United States and some Arab countries have wholeheartedly recognized the referee lab status of PFSA and sought its expert opinion in some high profile cases including that of murders.

And PFSA reports against established criminals have ended up in convictions and stringent penalization in some countries of the west.

All these achievements would have come to a naught had the PFSA management and the government above failed to plug the accessibility routes that allow the criminals to sneak in these systems and manage the reports to their own advantage. Yes, most of our systems including the governance system in general and the criminal justice system in particular have abounded, for years, in this ‘sneak-in’ practice. No more access to anyone including the chief executive of the country or the province, says Dr Tahir.

“Even I don’t have an iota of access. So, there should be no doubt left in your mind that anybody can access the system and get the ‘desired’/favorable reports as would be done during the redundant ‘chemical examiner’ system.

As regards the authenticity of our reports, I challenge you to take our report about our DNA and other tests and 14 disciplines to any state-of-the-art lab of the world. We will defend it.”

In all, the visit to the lab turned out to be one of the most fascinating experiences of my life. Most impressive thing about this lab is that it was established in two-and-a-half years on 1,70,000 square feet covered area whereas the biggest forensic lab, that of US is more than 1 million square feet but it was built in a period ofmore than five years. Yet another impressive fact about the lab is its presentation that is superb and par ‘elegance’ (to coin a phrase beyond ‘par excellence’). Equally impressive is the lab’s close connectivity with prosecutors, cops and judges or the key stakeholders of the system of justice who attend workshops and training/orientation courses in the lab on a regular footing.
 —mianrehman1@gmail.com