Corruption in Pakistan

Corruption in Pakistan is a well established phenomenon.^[1] The country has had a consistently poor ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index, being 143rd with a score of 2.3 out of 10 in 2010

National Accountability Ordinance

Individuals convicted under the National Accountability Ordinance are prohibited from holding political office for ten years

Courts

In 2010, 69% of those surveyed reported that they or someone in their household was subjected to an act of corruption when interacting with the judicial system. Of 339 affirmative respondents asked to identify the actors involved in corruption, 119 said court employees, 84 said a public prosecutor, 50 said a witness, 44 said a judge, 29 said an opponent lawyer, 16 said magistrates, and 12 said others

Education

As of 2010, 24% of those surveyed reported that they themselves or a family member received educational admission through non-normal

[Health care

In 2010, 42% of surveyed individuals reported gaining access to hospital services by a method other than standard admission, and 48% reported either having to pay additional costs for essential services or being forced to utilize the services of a designated affiliate. Of the respondents who were asked to identify which parties orchestrated the corrupt acts, 61% reported hospital staff, 25% reported doctors, and 13% reported nurses

Law enforcement

According to 2002, 2006, 2009 and 2010 surveys, the majority of respondents consistently view the police as being the most corrupt sector of Pakistani government. In the 2010 survey, 31% of 4,224 respondents reported paying bribes to the police.^[6]

In 2005, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz ordered an investigation into claims by a 23-year-old woman who alleged that, in retaliation for attempting to reveal police corruption, police falsely detained her for fifteen days and raped her.^[7]

Public utilities

As of 2002, 96% of surveyed individuals reported corruption issues with electrical utility officials during the past year.^[5] The most common types of corruption were billing related. Some consumers admitted to illegally reducing their utility bills, while others reported being harassed with inflated bills intended to solicit bribes. Out of the pool of corruption-affirmative respondents, 71% reported that money was "demanded directly by the actor.

Taxation

According to the 2002 study, 99% of 256 respondents reported facing corruption of taxation. Furthermore, 32% of respondents reported paying bribes to have their tax assessment lowered, and nearly 14% reported receiving fictitious tax assessments until a bribe was paid

CONCLUSION

The scourge of corruption and white-collar crimes has become a cause of serious concern. Corruption is a menace that can never be eliminated completely from society. Some traces of corruption always exist in every society. The extent of such corruption in each is inversely proportional to the level of justice, accountability and indiscriminate application of law. As long as injustice and poverty prevail one cannot hope to eradicate corruption. A society based on the rule of law and equality caters for the genuine needs and wants of its members. But a society where the rule of law is absent, the vacuum is filled by the rule of nuisance value. The rights, privileges and respect in such a society depend upon how much you can browbeat a man or woman. One may acquire an official position by virtue of which one is able to cause harm to others or to give them favour and advantage