Sindh police ballistics system out of order for 3 years

Sindh police ballistics system out of order for 3 years

Sindh Police’s Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS), used to scientifically analyze firearms and bullet casings, has remained non-functional for the past three years, affecting forensic investigations in hundreds of criminal cases.

The shutdown has prevented forensic experts from conducting advanced scientific comparisons of weapons, fired bullets and cartridge casings in several cases, including the murder case of Mir Raza.

In the Mir Raza case, investigators could only prepare a manual report confirming that the recovered casing belonged to a 30-bore pistol. The available forensic process could not determine whether the casing matched ammunition fired from a particular weapon or whether similar markings appeared in other cases.

IBIS is designed to digitally capture microscopic markings left on fired bullets and cartridge casings. The system converts the captured images into electronic signatures and compares them through an integrated ballistic database to identify bullets or casings that may have been fired from the same firearm.

The system then ranks potential matches and forwards the results to forensic experts, who examine the similarities and make the final determination.

IBIS can also help police and investigators identify patterns and connections between different shooting incidents. By comparing ballistic evidence from separate crime scenes, the system can potentially establish links between cases and provide investigators with important leads.

However, Sindh Police has been unable to use this technology for around three years. The main reason for the shutdown is reportedly the non-payment of dues to the company responsible for the system, which resulted in the failure to renew the service and keep the system operational.

The prolonged closure has raised concerns over the handling of ballistic evidence in serious criminal investigations, as investigators have had to rely on conventional or manual methods instead of a computerized ballistic identification system.

The absence of a functioning IBIS facility could make it more difficult for investigators to establish links between firearms and multiple crimes, particularly in cases where cartridge casings are among the key pieces of forensic evidence.