Pakistan-US Science and Technology Cooperation Program                                                            
Phase 1 (2005 Deadline)

 

PROGRESS REPORTS  2006 2007 2008 Final

Intensification of Forensic Services and Research at Centre for Applied Molecular Biology 

Mohammad Ashraf Tahir, Strand Analytical Laboratories, LLC
Sheikh Riazuddin, Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, Lahore
Pakistani Funding (MoST): $118,650
US Funding:   $160,000
Project Dates on US Side: January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2007, Completed

The Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB) is currently the only dedicated laboratory in Pakistan engaged in forensic DNA research, and it provides DNA testing services in criminal cases, mass disasters, and paternity disputes. This multifaceted project was designed to address the three primary elements of forensic science—evidence collection, analysis, and presentation—in expanding CAMB’s technical infrastructure and improving the skills of its staff and others involved in the collection and use of evidence. Law enforcement and medical personnel were trained in evidence collection techniques, and attorneys and judges were instructed on the basics of forensic science to help them use such evidence appropriately for prosecution or defense purposes. On the infrastructure side, CAMB’s existing DNA testing and serology facilities were improved, and new capacities were added for the analysis of fingerprints, hair, fiber, and chemical trace evidence. 

Several training workshops were offered at CAMB in 2006 and 2007. For example, on December 15-16, 2006, a two-day workshop on crime scene search and modern forensic techniques attracted 79 attendees from various civilian and military police agencies and medico-legal physicians. In conjunction with this event, a one-day workshop for members of the judiciary, “DNA for Justice,” was conducted on December 16, 2006. In addition to Dr. Tahir, US presenters included Judge Lisa Borges (formerly a public prosecutor) and Mr. Terry Gilbert, a defense attorney. Rana Bhagwan Das, at that time a justice on the Supreme Court of Pakistan, served as keynote speaker for the event, which was attended by 24 judges, prominent lawyers, and members of the CEMB staff. On July 18-19, 2007, another two-day workshop on crime scene evidence collection, preservation, and chain-of-custody was held at CAMB, and a final workshop was held November 21-22, 2007. On the US of the project, four young staff members from CAMB successfully completed six months of training at Strand in 2006, and two more arrived for a similar training program in September 2007.  Building on the success of this two-year project, Dr. Tahir was awarded a new grant under Phase 3 of the program in early 2008 to work on a related topic with another colleague from CAMB.
 

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