SPECIALIZED TRAINING ON MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE, EXTRADITION REQUESTS AND ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE FROM FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS (11–13 NOVEMBER 2026)

PESHAWAR: A three-day specialized training workshop on Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA), Extradition Requests, and Electronic Evidence from Foreign Jurisdictions successfully concluded at the KPJA, Peshawar. The capacity-building initiative was organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and supported by the British High Commission Islamabad.

The concluding ceremony of the workshop was graced by Director General Kalim Arshad Khan, alongside senior representatives from UNODC, legal experts, and key stakeholders from participating criminal justice institutions.

Held from 11 to 13 November 2026 at KPJA, the interactive training brought together investigators, prosecutors, and officers from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), KP Prosecution Department, and KP Home Department. The primary objective was to strengthen operational capacity in handling cross-border investigations, preparing formal cooperation requests, and ensuring the admissibility of foreign digital evidence before local trial courts.

The technical sessions throughout the three-day program were delivered by a distinguished panel of lead experts:

• Muhammad Shahid Shafiq (Law Expert): Delivered modules on Pakistan’s legal framework for MLA and electronic evidence, overseas preservation requests (VDR/EDR), chain of custody, certification standards, and trial court admissibility.
• Qasim Khan Mandokhail (Law Expert): Facilitated interactive sessions on channel selection, pre-MLA requests to overseas service providers, model preservation forms, and practical drafting clinics.
• Asim Qureshi (Ministry of Interior): Led specialized sessions detailing Ministry of Interior transmission protocols, common deficiencies in formal MLA and extradition applications, dual criminality requirements, and guided mock review panels.

Over the three days, participants completed hands-on drafting exercises and case simulations focused on data preservation, MLA request formulation, and extradition checklists. 

During the closing ceremony, Director General Kalim Arshad Khan and UNODC representatives presented certificates to participants, commending the inter-departmental collaboration and emphasizing the critical role of international legal assistance in countering modern transnational crime.