Claim: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf failed to build a forensic laboratory for DNA testing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Fact: The Forensic Science Lab in KP became functional on 6 February 2018, although the lab was established three years before then to conduct DNA profiling.
Fact or Fiction?
On 3 February 2023, Twitter user Faizan Khan claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) failed to build a forensic laboratory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
“PTI failed to build a forensic lab in KP, PTI failed to make Peshawar a safe city monitored by CCTV, PTI failed to equip them with latest ammunition, compare their salaries with Punjab police, compare their perks with ICT or Punjab police, they’re paid far less. They deserved more,” his tweet reads.
Another user Muhammad Junaid Asif Sahi, claimed that despite PTI ruling the province for ten years, there is not a single forensic science laboratory in any city in KP where DNA evidence can be tested.
Soch Fact Check found the claim to be misleading. On 2 February 2023, the Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar MTI-KTH tweeted about the work of KP’s first forensic lab following an attack at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines area on 30 January.
“KP’s first Forensic lab at KMC!
Recent incident at KP Police line, KMC forensic department received 85 dead bodies for autopsy & 6 body parts for #DNA including 3 parts of a suspected suicide bomber who’s DNA is reported in just two days & the remaining bodies are handed over,” the tweet reads.
The viral claims on social media are based on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Moazzam Jah Ansari’s statement about KP not having a forensic lab for DNA testing. He had also said that due to this reason, body parts of the Peshawar attack suicide bomber were dispatched to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency.
Addressing the confusion on social media, former provincial minister Taimur Khan Jhagra tweeted that the forensic lab in KP has been attached to Khyber Medical College for years. Jhagra also said that fake news is circulating on social media about KP not having a forensic lab.
A keyword search on Twitter turned up tweets posted on 20 December 2017 by PTI about the inauguration of the Forensic Science Lab in KP and on 5 February 2018 about the lab starting operations from 6 February 2018.
The account linked a Dawn News article in their tweet. The report titled, KP forensic lab set to start operations after receiving DNA kits” stated that the lab was established three years before that to conduct DNA profiling, but it was practically dysfunctional because of the lack of DNA test kits.
Arab News and The News also reported about KP opening its first DNA laboratory at the Khyber Medical College (KMC).
Virality:
The claim can be found here, here, here, here and here on Twitter.
On Facebook, the claim was shared here, here, here and here.
Conclusion: KP does have a forensic science laboratory in Peshawar, located at the Khyber Medical College. It became functional in 2018 after three years of being practically dysfunctional due to a lack of DNA test kits.
Background image in cover photo: Louis Reed