OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study is to determine the trend of poisoning due to household substances in Peshawar.METHODOLOGY:This was a retrospective observational study. All the information related to poisoning including mode of transmission, duration of poisoning, demographic information, duration of hospital stay, name of poison, amount of poison ingested, inhaled and intension of poisoning was from the medical record room of Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) casualty department. The cases reported with a history of household poisoning were recorded for a period of one year from February 2016 to January 2017.RESULTS:Among the total 217 patients, males female ratio was 1.3:1 where male 114 (51%) whereas 104 (49%) females, whereas intensity to commit suicide is more in females. Tablet overdose cases were 73 (34%) and poisoning due to common household poisons such as mosquito repellant, rat killer poison, kerosene oil, detol and detergents were 87 (36%). Victims inhaled and ingested Organophosphorous accidently and intentionally were 62 (28%). Suicidal tendency was determined to be a hallmark among females. The age group between 18 to 31 year were found highly motivated to harm themselves. It was showed 196 (91%) patients consume with intention of suicide and only 20 (9%)were found accidental victims of poisoning.CONCLUSION:It was concluded that easy accesses to anti psychotic drugs without registered doctor’s prescription, self medication, over dosage and rat killing pills were found the most prevalent cause of poisoning among victims belonging to low socioeconomic status. It was also indicated in the study that most of the accidental incidents happed at home when victim was either alone or left unattended.

OBJECTIVES:The aim of the study was to determine (a) most common sites of torture, nature of injuries and their complications and (b) psychological and physical effects of torture on the prisoner’s mental and physical health. METHODOLOGY: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study was conducted on 193 prisoners admitted at District Police Hospital Peshawar over a period of one year. These prisoners were the victims of torture under police captivity. Majority of the victims were prisoners. The data was collected on a Performa mentioning age, duration of captivity; nature of injuries (simple, grievous), weapon used for physical torture (blunt, sharp) and prisoners were interviewed and examined by the medical officers and co-authors. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty (93.2%) of the 193 subjects were male. Average age was 27.4 ±4 years. Hundred (51.8%) prisoners were physically tortured and 92 cases (47.6%) were due to physical assault among prisoners. Out of 92 cases 12 (13.04%) prisoners showed injuries due to strenuous physical work, mostly on palms and soles in the form of blisters. These injuries were carefully examined and correlated with history. Torture methods observed in this study were beating with hands on face (35.6%), whipping with rod (61.6%), kicking on buttock and abdomen (16.4%), forceful dragging (16.4%), burning with cigarettes (12.3%), hanging with hand cuffs (13.7%) and whipping on palms and sole (6.9%). Majority of the cases (74%) were tortured in custody, (12.3%) in prisons, (9.6%) on the street and (4.1%) at home. The impact of physical and psychological torture was variable depending upon the duration of captivity and nature of torture. Patients kept for a longer period 42 (42%) had developed post captivity psychosocial stress syndrome. Physical torture has taken 07 (3%) lives and 24 (12.4%) victims were permanently disabled in this year. CONCLUSION: A wide range of different types of injuries were observed on various parts of the body. Blunt trauma was most frequent. Violation of Istanbul Protocol for violence against torture under police custody was also clear.

Objectives: The study aimed to know the prevalence of scientific knowledge among medical students about the essentiality of postmortem examination. Study Design: Cross-sectional Observational Survey. Setting: Data was obtained from students of five medical colleges of Pakistan. Period: December 2020 to February 2020. Material & Methods: A questionnaire were designed to access the level of students’ comprehension about importance of post-mortem examination, collection of samples, autopsy report writing and courses taught in Forensic curriculum. Results: Most of the students 553 (79%) have shown satisfaction from teaching and training in Forensic Medicine. 252 (36%) suggested the need add case base studies (CBL) to improve the teaching methodology. 546 (78%) students were in favor of conduction of autopsy to know the unnatural circumstances under which death occurred. 154 (22%) of them stated that SGD are good teaching method for learning injury interpretation and 399 (57%) highlighted that there should be more teaching hours for autopsy visits and medicolegal clinics. Conclusion: Students are well aware about the importance of Forensic Medicine and conduction of autopsy. They are reluctant to opt Forensic Medicine as a medical carrier because of limited scope and court inquires.

OBJECTIVE: To study increased suicidal mortality rate among females in district Peshawar. METHODOLOGY: The bodies of women in the reproductive age who died because of fatal deliberate self-harming were examined at Forensic Medicine Department Khyber Medical College, Peshawar from January 2015 to September 2015. RESULTS: Forty-four bodies of females were autopsied. 13 (30%) were adolescents between the age of 10-18 years. 31 (70.4%) were aged between 19-48 years. 33 of the victims committed suicide due to health-related issues. 28 (64%) victims used poisons. In almost all cases (n=38) the incident happened when the victim was alone in house or left unattended. 30 (68%) victims were brought to hospitals for treatment. 13 were found to have recurrent attempt of self-harming. CONCLUSION: Females have increased tendency to commit suicide than males especially in their reproductive age. Low socioeconomic status, cultural norms, unwanted pregnancies and ill health are the major causes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the crimes committed under the influence of alcohol in district Lahore. METHODOLOGY: A six months study of alcohol intoxication through cases brought for examination at office of surgeon medicolegal Lahore from January 01, 2016 to June 30, 2016 is conducted. Available data is analysed on SPSS 13 which includes variables of age, gender, socio-economic conditions, religious background, and time of the day when the case brought for examination. RESULTS: Maximum number of cases is of 3rd decade of life i.e. 21-30 year of age. Consumption of alcohol is found highest in younger age group (21-30 years) i.e. 57.6%, while minimum consumption is observed i.e. 4% and 4.1% respectively in the age group of 51-60 years and 61-70 years. The cases which were males, Muslims and brought at day time, formed a larger group which outnumbered the females, non- Muslims and night cases. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that rate of crime incidence under alcohol consumption was significantly high in Muslim males. The facts highlighted by the study are significant and may be helpful to policy makers and law enforcing authorities in the city of Lahore for the years to come.