KARACHI, Aug 21: The Chemico-Bacteriological Laboratory, popularly known as the office of chemical examiner, is merely fulfilling a formality by issuing reports which often gets challenged and if tested in a private sector lab proves otherwise.

Housed in the premises of the Services Hospital, the laboratory bears hallmarks of a typical government office. Some important tests like blood grouping through semen and quantitative tests are not carried out at the lab. For instance, the lab gives the detection of benzodiazepine, but does not determine the quantity. This further complicates the issue as a mere dose of substance might have been consumed in form of medicine, contends a senior forensic expert. Unless the quantity is determined the purpose of the laboratory is not served, he argued.

The limitations of the laboratory can be judged from the fact that it even lacks capability to test anthrax.

In recent past when the city was witnessing anthrax scare, an anthrax collection centre was set up in the premises of the Civil Hospital where all the samples were deposited. In the absence of testing facilities, the entire bulk of powder was sent to the National Institute of Health, Islamabad.

Ideally, the department of the pathology and clinical labs of Civil Hospital and the Chemico-Bacteriological Laboratory should work in coordination as all the three entities were interlinked, said a senior doctor.

The lab has nine different sections; two pertained to narcotics, alcohol, section, poison, sexual assault, semen section, food and medicine, microbiology and blood and cerelogy section.

Quetta has a narcotics testing lab, but rest of the cases like sexual assault committed in any part of Balochistan are brought to the Chemico-Bacteriological Laboratory, Karachi.

Despite the fact that time factor is of prime significance in the examination of cases of sexual assault, cases from Balochistan are referred to Karachi due to the non-availability of the facilities.

The case of Dr Shazia Khalid was also reported late for the examination. She was brought to Karachi for medical examination after a lapse of eight to 10 days. Subsequently, clinical findings were reported negative. But three-member team of doctors concluded that sexual assault had taken place after examining external injuries suffered by the victim.

The cases of histopathology are referred to the department of pathology, Dow Medical College.

Considering the load of work, the Chemico-Bacteriological Laboratory is not equipped with an auto-analyzer which is considered a prerequisite for any lab these days.

A visit to the lab shows that deposit of viscera bottles are kept under the sun. As per procedure, their disposal should take place within two to three weeks. However, there is a general complaint that reports are issued after a considerable delay. In normal routine, it takes months. But the lab officials claim that backlog problem has been rectified. Nonetheless, reports are issued after a lapse of two to three months at the minimum.

An official of the lab said, “We instruct in our report to collect the case property within 15 days failing which we seek help from the Edhi Foundation for their disposal.”

The last chemical examiner, Dr Zahid Husain, went on a leave after initiation of an inquiry when a negative report was issued by the Chemico-Bacteriological Laboratory of a banned substance seized by the Anti-Narcotics Force from Mirpurkhas. The sample when sent to Punjab was found positive.

At present, the acting charge of the laboratory is being held by the Assistant Chemical Examiner, who is a pathologist.

Criticizing the health department for its lack of interest in the lab, a senior forensic expert said that post of chemical examiner had started resembling to that of an SHO.

Retrospectively suspensions, inquires are not new to the Chemico-Bacteriological Laboratory. The Farzana Sultan case occurred in mid 1995 when the then chemical examiner of the lab, Dr Suresh Kumar; assistant chemical examiner of the lab, Dr Hamid Ali Parihyar; and chemical examiner of the sub-lab Rohri, Dr Imam Ali Abbasi, were put under suspension for dereliction of duty and misconduct by non-submitting chemical examinations report before the inquiry tribunal probing the Farzana Sultan case.

The government also ordered that no independent administrative position be given to the officers for the next three years.

Later, the government also suspended the services of Dr Zahid Hussain, chemical examiner, for three months.

It was reported that the laboratory report in respect of Farzana Sultan case was later sent to chemical examiner of the Punjab Health Department for their expert report.

Before the suspension, Dr Zahid Hussain submitted before the tribunal that he was not capable to do the task he had been assigned. He said he had already informed the authorities concerned that neither he could conduct chemical examination nor could prepare report of the same.

The tribunal comprising the then District and Sessions Judge, Mahjabeen, while taking serious exception of the conduct of the health secretary strictly directed him to appoint a proper person for preparing a chemical report and place the same before the tribunal.

Earlier, the health department had suspended three chemical examiners for their failure in submitting a report before the tribunal and appointed Dr Zahid Husain as new chemical examiner.

The MQM had alleged that a PPP advisory councillor and his accomplices had committed gang-rape with Farzana Sultan, 16-year-old sister of Feroz, an MQM activist, who was required by the police in a number of criminal cases. The Farzana Sultan case showed the political pressures and sensitive nature of the post of chemical examiner, said a forensic expert.