Pakistan: Punjab to Create Central DNA Database of Criminals
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
The Punjab government has moved to establish a central DNA database to assist in the rapid identification of criminals and repeat offenders, a spokesperson for the provincial home department announced on Sunday.
Under the plan, the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) will collect DNA samples from across the province, including from prisoners and known habitual criminals. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the criminal justice system by ensuring faster and more accurate suspect identification.
A working group of experts has been formed to develop a model for the new system, on the instructions of Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin.
The group is headed by PFSA Director General Dr Muhammad Amjad and includes Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology Director Prof Dr Muaz-ur-Rehman, King Edward Medical University’s Prof Dr Nighat Yasmin, DIG Athar Waheed, and PFSA Director (Administration) Mirza Waleed Baig.
The team has been tasked with submitting detailed proposals on the creation and management of the database within seven days.
Pakistan’s experience with DNA technology dates back to 2006, when the country established its first forensic DNA lab in Islamabad with China’s assistance to tackle complex terrorism and criminal cases.
Authorities believe that the central database will be a major step toward modernising investigations and securing timely justice.
Reference Link:- https://propakistani.pk/2025/04/27/punjab-to-create-central-dna-database-of-criminals/
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
