Punjab forensic lab withholds details of tests

LAHORE: The Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) has conducted 193,713 tests on the request of law-enforcement agencies and orders of courts since January 1, 2022.

The information was made public under the Access to Information Act by PFSA on the order of the Punjab Information Commission.

According to the information, 738 tests were conducted on the orders of courts, 3,655 on request of government, 189,306 on police and 14 tests on the request of FIA for various cases. No test was conducted for any private person or organisation.

The information made public by PFSA stated 207,831 applications were received for tests in general and sensitive cases. Among the tests conducted included Latent Finger Prints, Crime Scene Investigation, Firearm and Tool Marks, Polygraph Examination, Trace Chemistry, Narcotics, DNA Serology, Toxicology, Audio Video Analysis, Questioned Documents, Forensic Photography, Histology and Pathology, Computer Forensic and Investigation Death Scene.

The PFSA refused to give full details of those who sent the cases for tests. The PFSA said by making this information public, the national security and defence of Pakistan will be compromised. Disclosure of such information without the consent of persons involved in these cases may raise privacy and legal concerns, it said.

The PFSA asked the Punjab Information Commission for an exemption from disclosing such information under Section 13 of Right to Information Act.