ISLAMABAD: While 90pc police cases are quashed due to flaws in medical reports, the Health Services Academy (HSA) has started offering certification courses in crime scene investigation (CSI).

Forensic serology and DNA profiling, fingerprinting, forensic pathology (autopsy and medicolegal certification), digital forensics, cyber-crime investigation and many more courses are also being offered by the HSA.

“I hope that police officials, medico-legal officers of hospitals, judiciary, security agencies, journalists, especially crime reporters and other stakeholders will get themselves enrolled for the short certification course in the field of forensics to ensure that majority of the cases of murders, etc., would reach logical end,” HSA Vice Chancellor Dr Shahzad Ali Khan said while talking to Dawn.

He said HSA had embarked on a new journey of short certification courses in the field of forensics under the patronage of renowned medical jurist Prof Dr Syed Shoaib Hussain Shah, who holds a PhD in human genetics and has board certification and fellowship in forensic medicine from USA.

“HAS plans to launch multiple back to back short courses in jurisprudence like crime scene investigation (CSI), forensic serology and DNA profiling, fingerprinting, forensic pathology (autopsy and medicolegal certification), digital forensics, cyber-crime investigation and many more,” he said.

“CSI is the first certification course being launched by HSA in the last week of the current month. The course would provide deep understanding of crime scene investigation principles and methodologies. Highly qualified and experienced instructors would provide hands on training using real world case scenarios and mock crime scene exercise,” he said.

Dr Khan emphasised the importance of CSI for legal fraternity, law enforcement bodies, investigating agencies, doctors involved in medicolegal certification, judiciary, security agencies, media houses, journalists, especially crime reporters and other professionals.

“HSA is mindful of the existing flaws in the health system and is continuously striving along with partners to enable betterment in different domains of public health,” he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Khan said that a number of times, despite having witnesses of murder, cases are disposed of because the medial report does not support the statement of witnesses.

“Even it is observed that that the witness says that the bullet was shot on the chest and passed from the body but in the medical report it is written that the bullet hit the rear side of the body. Culprits are set free just because of contradictions in medical reports and lack of awareness of the investigation officer,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2023