Daily Times

Acting Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Gulzar Ahmed, on Saturday expressed resentment over delay in construction of a forensic laboratory in Sindh, according to media reports.

The acting CJP, during a hearing at the Supreme Court’s (SC) Karachi Registry, inquired reasons of non-construction of a forensic laboratory despite lapse of 18 months, against the allotted time of one year for the project from the authorities.

Justice Gulzar said that nobody appeared to be concerned about absence of such an important laboratory. He also asked reasons of delay in setting up the forensic lab.

The representative of the Sindh government said that delay in release of funds was the prime reason that the lab had not been established. The acting CJP then ordered that the lab be established within a timespan of two weeks. “No delays would be tolerated in the construction of the lab,” he said.

Sindh Home secretary, Health secretary and representatives of University of Karachi were also present during the meeting.

The provincial health department had planned to set up a forensic DNA laboratory at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences at Karachi University (KU). The laboratory will be called ‘Strengthening Forensic DNA and Serology Facility.’ The facility would provide assistance to the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in the scientific investigation of civil and criminal cases. Genetic material discovered during investigations would no longer be sent to diagnostic laboratories in Punjab and this would save both time and money.

Published in Daily Times, November 25^th 2018.