KARACHI:Vice-Chancellor University of Karachi Prof Dr Khalid Mehmood Iraqi has said that people must believe in science rather than fiction or imagination.
The step to organize such a useful short course on “Management Disaster Management in Mass Fatality Cases” on the recommendation of the Supreme Court is highly appreciable, as the country needs professionalism in every sector, he said while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the short course on “Management Disaster Management in Mass Fatality Cases,” mutually organized by Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory (SFDL), International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, and International Red Cross Committee (IRCC) held at the Prof Dr Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Auditorium on Monday.
Acting Secretary Home Department Amir Khursheed, Prof Dr Iqbal Choudhary, Director of the ICCBS-University of Karachi and Coordinator General COMSTECH, Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, In-Charge SFDL, and Dr Humaira Jahan also expressed their views on the occasion.
Prof Irqai said that Pakistan needed skilled people as the pace of progress should be accelerated in the country. when a disaster results in mass fatalities its management become more complicated and sensitive, he said, adding that in such cases rescue workers, law enforcement agencies, medico-legal officers, humanitarian, organizations and forensic DNA laboratories have to work in close coordination to identify and handover bodies of victims to the grieving families.
Prof Iraqi praised the excellence of the ICCBS-University of Karachi, and highlighted the national services of this center at all times of need. Prof Dr Iqbal Choudhary thanked the Supreme Court’s Monitoring Judge, Anti-terrorism Courts Justice Faisal Arab for encouraging organizing first time such an important training session that will help the participants to improve their understanding of functioning of DNA lab, sampling, coding, tagging, reporting, and interpretation of DNA reports.
The SFDL has also organized several training programs for police, medico-legal officers and prosecutors, he said. The importance of training people or workers is indispensable for any country or any organization, he observed, adding that training in disaster management was also essential as disaster preparedness can save lives.
The International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) is one of the finest centers in the fields of chemical, biochemical, and biomedical sciences, he stated. Amir Khursheed said that major disasters require collaboration between different government agencies and humanitarian organizations. So disaster management is multi-dimensional involving diverse branches of knowledge, and technical skills, he said. “Today’s event provides a unique opportunity for the police, medico-legal, and forensic departments to improve coordination to better prepare for any future calamity,” he observed.
Earlier, Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan welcomed the participants in the course, and said that SFDL was a state-of-the-art, purpose-built laboratory which delivers an excellent forensic DNA analysis supports provincial and federal law enforcement agencies. Since its establishment, the laboratory has provided high-quality reports in more than 1300 cases including PIA plane crash and Nooriabad van accident cases, he mentioned. In the end, Dr. Humaira Jahan presented a vote of thanks.