Sindh Forensic Science Laboratory to drastically reduce crime rate, says project director

The total number of reported crimes in Sindh from 2010 till 2020 was 861,681, and the establishment of the Sindh Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), 40 per cent construction work of which has completed, in Karachi will drastically reduce the crime rate in the province.

SFSL Project Director Faisal Ahmed Uqaili said this while recently talking to a group of journalists at a local hotel.

“Handling of criminal cases through forensic science evidence plays a critical role in determining the evidence-based and accurate outcome of criminal cases,” he said, adding that that in terms of ballistic analysis, forensic science laboratories analysed firearms, bullets and cartridge cases to determine whether they were used in a particular crime.

Citing the Sindh Bureau of Statistics’ report, he said the total number of reported crimes in Sindh from 2010 till 2020 was 861,681.

“Around 40 per cent construction work of the lab has been completed till date since the approval of revised PC-I in May 2022 and now Rs9 billion ADP scheme is included in budget book to purchase lab equipment and furniture, and spending on HR training,” Uqaili said.

He stated that the first PC-I for the construction of the project was approved in 2016 with a cost of Rs2.6 billion but the project could not start for six years until 2022 as major project components were not covered in the initial PC-I. Uqaili said the total cost of the project, including forensic lab equipment, was around Rs20 billion.

“The allocation of project construction funds in the CFY 2023-24 is Rs2,700 million, and the cost of revised PC-1 is Rs5,426 million while cumulative expenditure till date is Rs1,946 million,” he said.

He explained that the SFSL would cover 14 forensic disciplines including digital forensic, DNA and serology, pathology, latent fingerprint, trace chemistry/toxicology, audio visual analysis, firearm and tool marks, narcotics, toxicology forensic, polygraph, computer forensic, crime scene and death scene situation, question documents and forensic photograph.

“Director General Punjab Forensic Science Agency Dr M Ashraf Tahir is on board for project consultations and guidance, and currently, he is a pro-bono consultant on this project,” said Uqaili.

Sharing the background of the establishment of the SFSL, he said the Provincial Apex Committee on Law & Order in 2013 after recognising the weaknesses in the prosecution system due to lack of forensic lab facilities in Sindh envisaged revamping the criminal prosecution service by establishing a state-of-the-art forensic lab.

Thus, he added, 30 acres of state land was allotted by the government of Sindh for the establishment of laboratory in Deh Joreji, Bin Qasim Town, off link road N5 Eastern Bye Pass, District Malir, Karachi.

Also, the Sindh government legislated the Forensic Science Agency Act in August 2017 for the lab.

The construction of the project is currently under way with support from the Sindh government and monitoring and supervision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Karachi registry, Uqaili said, adding that they had also acquired services of the Badar Expo for promotion of the project.