Sindh Police has decided to establish a digital forensic laboratory aimed at improving criminal investigations and addressing the growing use of technology in crime. The decision was discussed during a review meeting chaired by Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho at the Central Police Office, where senior officials examined proposals for setting up the new facility. Speaking at the meeting, Odho said modern crimes could no longer be investigated effectively through conventional methods alone, stressing the need to adopt technology based and evidence driven investigation techniques across the force.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Additional Inspector General of Police for the Counter-Terrorism Department, along with Deputy Inspectors General overseeing headquarters, information technology, telecommunications, transport, and training functions. During the discussion, the project director for information technology briefed participants on the proposed scope, technical requirements, and operational framework for the digital forensic laboratory, giving officials a clearer picture of how the facility would function once established.
Officials informed the meeting that nearly 97 percent of investigation cases handled by Sindh Police now involve digital devices such as mobile phones and computers, reflecting how deeply technology has become embedded in criminal activity. They also noted that around 90 percent of criminal cases worldwide rely on digital evidence in some form, a trend that has pushed police departments globally to build dedicated technical capacity for extracting and analyzing data from digital devices during investigations.
The proposed laboratory would give Sindh Police a dedicated in house capability to process digital evidence, reducing reliance on external or delayed forensic analysis that can slow down investigations and prosecutions. The move reflects a broader pattern among Pakistani law enforcement agencies to modernize investigative capacity in response to the rising role of digital devices in crime, from mobile communications to financial fraud and cyber enabled offenses. Further details on the laboratory’s location, cost, and expected completion timeline were not disclosed following the review meeting, with officials indicating that the project remains in its planning and scoping stage.
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