ISLAMABAD: An FIR has been filed against two police officials at Islamabad’s Shahzad Town Police Station for receiving bribery in cash and through online network.
The cop reportedly stopped individuals at a checkpoint and purportedly requested Rs2000 in cash along with Rs500 through an online transfer.
The complaint detailed that both policemen, one described as a ‘Pathan’ and the other from Sargodha, insisted on receiving cash and utilized the Easypaisa platform for the online transaction.
As per the FIR, the victims asserted that the police officials demanded bribe under the threat of filing a case against them.
Most corrupt departments in Pakistan as per TIP survey
Meanwhile, Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) unveiled its National Corruption Perception Survey 2023, indicating that the judiciary ranks among the top three most corrupt institutions in Pakistan.
The police are identified as the most corrupt, followed by tendering and contracting, and the judiciary. The Education and Health departments are rated the 4th and 5th most corrupt entities. Additionally, Local Government, Land Administration, Customs, Excise, and Income Tax are assessed as the 6th, 7th, and 8th most corrupt, respectively.
Regarding public service delivery, the average bribery expenditure was highest for the judiciary (Rs25,846). In KP, citizens paid the highest bribe on average to access the judiciary (Rs162,000).
In Punjab, citizens paid the highest bribe on average to access the police (Rs21,186), while in Balochistan, the highest average bribe was for health access (Rs160,000).
The NCPS 2023 reveals that a majority of Pakistanis (68%) at the national level believe that accountability institutions like NAB, FIA, and Anti-Corruption Establishments are employed for political victimization.
The survey shows that 60% of Pakistanis at the national level feel that accountability institutions (NAB, FIA, ACEs, Office of the Ombudsman) should be abolished as they have failed to control corruption.
Nationally, 75% of citizens believe that the private sector wields excessive power, leading to corruption. Additionally, 36% of citizens consider anti-corruption institutions as “ineffective” in curbing corruption in Pakistan.
The NCPS 2023 identifies the Lack of Merit (40%) as the major cause of corruption nationally, with Sindh (42%), KP (43%), and Balochistan (47%) emphasizing this factor at the provincial level. In Punjab, 47% believe the use of state institutions by bureaucracy for personal gains is the main cause of corruption.
As measures to combat corruption, 55% of Pakistanis at the national level suggest the immediate disclosure of public officials’ assets on government websites, and 45% propose that accountability courts should resolve corruption cases within 30 days.
