LAHORE, June 13: The Government College University (GCU) has decided to introduce a diploma in forensic sciences for policemen and officials of other law enforcement agencies in collaboration with the Punjab Forensic Science Agency to train policemen in crime scene investigation, evidence preservation, crime mapping, fingerprints and DNA markers as well as technological and analytical techniques.

According to a press release issued here on Wednesday, an announcement in this regard was made during an agreement signing ceremony between PFSA and GCU for academic and research collaboration. GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleequr Rahman and PFSA Director General Dr Ashraf Tahir signed the agreement. GCU Research Director Prof Dr Zakria Butt, Academic Planning Director Fauzia Shaheen, Chemistry Department Chairperson Prof Dr Islam Ullah Khan, MS Forensic Chemistry Coordinator Dr Akhyar Farrukh and PFSA Forensics Director Dr M. Sarwar were also present.

PFSA will extend practical training and other facilities for the six-month diploma, which would help policemen use modern methods and technologies in nabbing outlaws and ensure effective collaboration with forensic experts and agencies. PFSA also offered to provide training to GCU faculty members for teaching and curriculum designing of the diploma.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Rahman said training of professionals involved in law enforcement would help create an enabling environment for equality, fair play, justice and rule of law. He announced the GCU would soon launch B.Sc (Hons) and one-year postgraduate diploma in forensic sciences to produce skilled manpower for law enforcement and forensic science agencies. PFSA would provide excess to students to high-tech equipment for practical training and identify new areas of research in the subject of forensic chemistry. He said in the four-year B.Sc (Hons) programme the university would train students in wide and diverse spectrum of forensics.He said GCU was the first public university in Pakistan that initiated academic programme in forensic chemistry in 2008 and upgraded it to MS in 2009. He said GCU revised its curriculum of MS forensic chemistry in collaboration with PFSA.