PESHAWAR: Land for the establishment of a modern forensic science laboratory has been identified in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area and the process to acquire it will be completed soon to start construction, officials told the Provincial Justice Committee.

The committee met here with Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan in the chair.

The participants included the provincial advocate general, additional chief secretary, inspector general of police, IG (prisons), joint secretary of the law and justice commission, and other relevant officials.

They reviewed the implementation of the committee’s decisions made in the last meetings.

The participants stressed the need for the establishment of a forensic science laboratory at regional levels, including Peshawar, to investigate cases along scientific lines.

Acquisition of land for FSL under way, officials tell PJC in meeting

IGP Akhtar Hayat informed the committee about the security situation in the province and said adequate measures had been taken to prevent any security breach.

The chair expressed satisfaction with the decisions completely implemented and said that authorities should ensure action on the decisions partially implemented.

Officials said that by and large, the police’s database had been integrated with the high court’s.

The meeting also discussed the shifting of courts to North and South Waziristan tribal districts.

The IGP said that the current security situation in both districts was not conducive for the move.

“The relocation of courts is not feasible at this stage,” he said.

The chair asked him about a court already functioning in North Waziristan. The IGP promised adequate security measures for the court.

Regarding the shifting of the judicial magistrate’s court to South Waziristan, the PHC registrar said that land was being identified for the purpose.

He added that after the security situation was evaluated and proper land was found, authorities would examine the possibility of the shifting of the court to South Waziristan district.

The participants also examined the directives issued by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee during the last meeting as well as the disposal of cases of under-trial prisoners.

The chief justice directed the prosecution department to produce the police witnesses before courts and warned that delaying tactics in that respect won’t be tolerated.

He asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council vice-chairman Zarbad Shah to consult bar members to prioritise the disposal of cases against under-trial prisoners.

The participants decided that regular meetings in that respect would be held by the AIG (investigation) and DG (prosecution) to review progress on the disposal of cases.

They said that the district and sessions judges should be informed about bottlenecks for disposal of cases for immediate remedial measures.

The participants decided that the disposal of cases against under-trial prisoners should be reviewed in the next meeting.

The chair highlighted the poor law and order situation in the University of Peshawar and directed the IGP to enhance the police’s presence on campus.

He also said that the university’s administration should be taken on board by the police on the preparation of a roadmap for a safe and secure environment inside the university.

The CJ said that private guards deployed on the campus were untrained, so the police should take measures to train them as weapons with untrained persons could prove to be lethal.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2023