Pakistan Corruption Survey

KARACHI, June 17: The money Pakistanis spend on bribes has increased from Rs45 billion in 2002 to Rs195 billion in 2009, according to a survey carried out by the Transparency International Pakistan.

The survey report --- entitled “National Corruption Perception Survey 2009” --- indicates that police and power supply departments maintain their position as the two most corrupt sectors in the country.

The judiciary’s ranking has improved in the period under review. It ranked seventh in 2009, third in 2006 and fourth in 2002.

Customs and taxation departments have also improved their rankings since 2006.

Work on the survey, involving responses from 5,200 people, began in February and ended in April of this year.

According to the report, people believed that health and land departments were also quite corrupt.

Sixty-six per cent of the respondents said the existing local government system was more corrupt than the system it replaced.

About sixty per cent of the respondents said government functionaries and armed forces personnel should not be involved in commercial activities.

Most respondents were of the view that the anti-corruption agency should be an independent body falling under the control of the Supreme Judicial Council.

Most of the people surveyed thought that lack of accountability and of transparency and unchecked discretionary powers were the main reasons behind corruption.

Some 77 per cent of them thought the media had played a positive role in combating corruption.

More than 82 per cent of the surveyed people said the introduction of the Motorway police had reduced corruption, and 84 per cent suggested that the project should be replicated in all towns and cities.

The highest quantum of bribe was said to be paid to officials involved in tendering and procurement. Among measures suggested for combating corruption were: accountability of public office-holders, streamlining of judicial processes, and appointments based on merit.

Transparency International Pakistan also surveyed federal government departments on compliance of the Public Procurement Rules of 2004.

According to its findings, Defence Purchase Division, Military Engineering Services and Defence Housing Authorities were largest violators of rules under the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Ordinance of 2002, which in itself was not performing its statutory obligations.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, the privatisation ministry and the State Bank refuse to be governed under PPRA Ordinance.

Source: Pakistan Dawn