ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Friday unanimously passed a bill to establish a forensic agency with unusual sway to effectively combat digital crimes.

The bill, titled National Forensic Agency Bill, 2024, was piloted in the House by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on behalf of the interior minister.

The bill was passed with certain amendments, one of which was to drop the provision seeking tax exemption for the agency for five years proposed under the original draft of the bill.

Through another amendment, the power to appoint director general of the agency has been given to the federal government, instead of the prime minister.

An amendment in the preamble of the bill moved by Qurat ul Ain Marri was also adopted under which she said provinces will not be bound to help the agency.

“The National Forensics Agency will integrate digital and cyber forensics to combat crimes involving electronic devices, deepfakes, and other electronic offences,” the statement of aims and objectives of the bill, a copy of which is available with Dawn, says. The National Forensic Agency aims to enhance forensic capabilities across the country.

Key initiatives include upgrading existing conventional forensic labs and establishing digital forensic lab that will provide services to all provinces, GB, AJ&K, and government/private forensics labs.

The functions and responsibilities of the proposed agency, to be headquartered in Islamabad, will include expansion of its infrastructure and human resource to establish a research department, other forensics departments and a state-of-the-art digital forensics department to assist in matters of national security.

The report and opinion of

the agency shall be an admissible evidence.

“No action taken under this Act shall be called in question in any court or otherwise except in the manner provided in this Act. No civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted against any person for anything done in good faith or purported to have been done under this Act.

“All executive authorities of the federation and in the provinces shall render such assistance to the agency as may be required in the exercise or performance of the agency’s activities and functions under this Act,” another proposed section reads.

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, while speaking in the House, said establishing an independent NFA in Pakistan was essential to address the challenges arising from the current fragmented forensic services that lead to inconsistent standards and capabilities across the country.

The minister said that currently there was a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory in Lahore which was set up by the incumbent prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in 2010. “It is overloaded and overworked.”

He said that setting up a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory would also help eradicate crimes.

The Senate passed the Legal Aid and Justice Authority (Amend­ment) Bill, 2024, aimed at ensuring free legal aid to poor people. The authority, under the bill will come under the administrative control of Law Ministry from the Human Rights Ministry.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2024