Case Explained: National Forensic Agency launched to modernise crime probe – Legal Perspective

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has officially launched its first modern National Forensic Agency, marking a pivotal advancement in the country’s law enforcement and investigative infrastructure.

The facility became fully operational within a remarkably short time-frame, according to Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who visited the headquarters to review its technical capabilities and ongoing progress.

During his comprehensive tour of the facility, Minister Naqvi inspected a suite of specialised laboratories, including the Research and Innovation, Digital Forensic, Narcotics, FinTech, and Questioned Document units. The minister also reviewed dedicated examination rooms for DNA analysis, firearms, serology, and explosives. He characterised the establishment of the agency as a critical necessity for the modern era, asserting that it would play a fundamental role in bolstering national security and modernising the prevention and investigation of crime across the country.

The minister emphasised that the agency is equipped with state-of-the-art services that were previously unavailable in any other domestic institution. To ensure these resources benefit the entire nation, he announced that the agency will extend its support to all provinces and law enforcement organisations. Furthermore, Naqvi directed authorities to establish sub-offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan to broaden the agency’s geographical reach and ensure forensic standards to meet international benchmarks.

While observing the mock crime scene unit, the minister engaged with under-training Assistant Superintendents of Police, noting that exposure to such advanced technology would provide a significant advantage throughout their professional careers. He also issued instructions to publicise the agency’s services extensively, ensuring that all relevant law enforcement and legal institutions are aware of the analytical capabilities now available to them.

Director General of the National Forensic Agency, Hasnat Rasool, provided a detailed briefing on the institution’s current trajectory, confirming that the first phase of the agency is complete and work on the second phase is scheduled to begin shortly. The agency is already proving its utility in the digital domain, offering specialised analysis in deepfake detection, mobile and computer forensics, and drone forensics. Statistics revealed during the briefing indicated that the agency has already compiled approximately 1,500 digital forensic case reports within its first year of operation.

The upcoming second phase of development will see the establishment of 25 additional specialised laboratories to further refine Pakistan’s investigative capacity. The high-profile visit was attended by senior leadership from across the security spectrum, including the Directors General of the Anti-Narcotics Force, the Federal Investigation Agency, and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, as well as the Inspector General of Islamabad Police.