PESHAWAR, Nov 19: Police investigation into various criminal cases has been hamstrung by workload at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and by lack of a service structure for its employees and other facilities.

The laboratory, established in 1942 to seek scientific help in resolving criminal cases, has not been delivering the desired results mainly due lack of the service structure.

The Fire-Arm Injury (FAI) and photography sections of the laboratory operated until 1978 when more wings were included in it to handle chemical, documents, vehicles, fingerprints, footprints, blood and seminal-stains, intoxicants and contraband.

In the forensic laboratories of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan only FAI and documents sections operate. These provinces send their personnel for training to Peshawar on a rotation basis.

The laboratory also offers fingerprint proficient courses to investigating officers.

"The people appointed 25 years ago are still in the same grades because there is no service structure to govern their jobs," said the sources, adding that the laboratory staff comprising constables, assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors, inspectors and deputy superintendent of police are yet to move to next grades though they all have put in decades of service.

These personnel feel they have fallen victim to injustice as their colleagues in other sections of the police department have gained rapid promotions.

Headed by a superintendent of police, the Peshawar FSL has three wings -- administration, teaching and training.

The FSL, staffed by a total of 72 personnel, also examines explosives, adulterated oil and petroleum products, natural and artificial fibres, erased numbers on metallic surface, chassis and engine numbers of suspected and stolen vehicles and suspected weapons, crime shells and bullets, range of fire, gun powder residue, etc.

Though the laboratory is required to handle the police department cases, it also examines samples sent by the customs department, armed forces, National Accountability Bureau, excise department, Federal Investigation Agency and Northern Areas administration.

The laboratory charges the concerned department a fee of Rs1,000 for every sample examined, but its staff is not given any share of the proceeds in violation of rules.

Employees visit relevant courts in the length and breadth of the province to record statements, but there is no vehicle to hep them undertake these journeys.

With only four chemical experts to do the job, the FSL performs over 50,000 chemical examinations every year using outdated equipment.