PESHAWAR: The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tuesday signed a cost-sharing agreement with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for establishing a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in the provincial capital.

Under the agreement that extends over three years, 2021 to 2023, the KP Govt would provide Rs 200 million and UNDP would contribute Rs 600 million to strengthen rule of law, access to justice and forensic services in KP, including the Merged Areas.

Resident Representative Knut Ostby, UNDP Pakistan Deputy Resident Representative Aliona Niculita, Assistant Resident Representative Kaiser Ishaque, UNDP Programme Specialist Rule of Law Programme Arshid Jan, Additional Secretary Home KP Usman Mehsud, and Deputy Secretary Development Kashif Qayyum were also present at the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Department Ikram Ullah Khan praised UNDP's "Amn-o-Insaf Programme" in strengthening the rule of law and justice system in the province. He said that forensic science lab in the province is very important and he is happy that finally, the cost sharing agreement is signed, adding "hopefully, the dream of an autonomous and well equipped FSL will come true and the partnership with UNDP will prove to be helpful yet again.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021