PESHAWAR: The first DNA laboratory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been awaiting the start of operation for many months due to delay in the opening of letter of credit in the bank for importing equipment from the US.

The lab was established at the forensic medicine and toxicology department of the Khyber Medical College early this year but it hasn’t become operational due to the unavailability of investigation kits, sources told Dawn.

They said the department had to import DNA kits from the US and therefore, it had approached the state-owned National Bank of Pakistan in July to open the LC but the response was still awaited.

Delay in LC opening hinders import of investigation kits

The sources said the lab’s establishment at the cost of Rs40.5 million was approved in 2013.

The home and tribal affairs department issued a notification two months ago authorising the lab to perform investigation into cases for police and on the directives of the courts.

They said the department currently returned DNA specimens sent to it for examination due to the unavailability of kits required for investigations.

The sources said the department disappointed by the ‘irresponsive’ NBP thought about the opening of LC in privately-owned Habib Bank Limited for the kits import but abandoned the idea after learning about the law, which bound government agencies to open LC in public sector banks only.

They added that as the last resort, the department contacted the provincial government-run Bank of Khyber two weeks ago for the purpose but the response was awaited.

The sources said the lab needed $21,000 DNA kits for eight to 12 months with the department planning to import them in Pakistani rupees through local agents in future.

They said the imports in local currency wouldn’t require LC opening and that the purchases in local currency would make the rate of the stuff 25 percent higher than those bought through LC in foreign currency.

The sources said the health department set up the DNA lab to improve investigations and assist police and courts in cases relating to bomb attacks, killings, sexual assaults and age determination.

They said a molecular biologist had been recruited, while the required equipment and machines were there but DNA kits were unavailable.

The sources said the department had also put in place standard operating procedures to receive DNA samples being sent for analysis to Islamabad and Karachi, an exercise that consumed a lot of time and money.

They said the DNA lab would help save money and time by providing quick test results.

The sources said the lab was extremely important for speedy disposal of justice as the courts often asked the police to come with authentic and quick investigations, which wasn’t

possible in the absence of local DNA lab.

They said the DNA laboratory would help police and other law-enforcement agencies in identifying suicide bombers and tracking down people involved in acts of terrorism.

The sources said the health department recently upgraded the toxicology section of the forensic medicine department at the cost of Rs60.6 million with a view to conduct investigations along scientific lines but the non-functioning of the DNA lab had spoiled its plan to become a full-fledged centre of investigations in criminal cases.

Dean of the Khyber Medical College Prof Noorul Iman confirmed that the DNA lab had yet to begin operation due to the absence of kits.

“We are trying our best to operationalise the lab as soon as possible because we are fully ready to perform all kinds of investigations,” he said.

Prof Noorul Iman said training would be imparted to health professionals after the operationalisation of the DNA lab and other medicolegal operations to improve DNA-related investigations in the province.

“We’ve imported all equipment and hired highly experienced and qualified staff but DNA kits have yet to come,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2017