Islamabad:When a society treats right and wrong, lawful and unlawful, good and bad with indifference, it paradoxically elevates corrupt, notorious, and dishonest individuals in its esteem. This dynamic extends to institutions where bribery flourishes unchecked; leadership is often reluctant to acknowledge the presence of corruption within their ranks. Such denial from the top, however, inadvertently emboldens the very elements undermining the institution’s integrity. Opportunities for subordinates involve in corrupt practices for example
The insidious entanglement of law enforcement with the criminal underworld reaches its zenith when officers themselves become integral cogs in the machinery of illicit enterprise. Bankrolled by the considerable wealth of criminal syndicates, these compromised guardians of order often exhibit a chilling pattern. Numerous instances reveal Station House Officers (SHOs) effectively transplanting their patronage of criminal magnates - encompassing the operators of brothel houses, drug trafficking hubs, and gambling dens - upon their transfer to new jurisdictions. This migration of allegiance ensures the continuity of protection, a shield forged from the very authority they wielded. This protection, in turn, empowers these criminal entities to liberally employ bribery, greasing the palms of other officers to turn a blind eye, leak crucial intelligence, or even actively participate in their nefarious schemes. The spectrum of this corruption ranges from petty inducements to substantial payoffs, all meticulously designed to ensure the uninterrupted flow of illegal operations.
Furthermore, this unholy alliance can, at times, manifest as a perverse symbiosis. Criminal gangs might furnish the police with intelligence regarding rival factions, a transactional offering in exchange for protection or a more lenient application of the law. In the darkest corners of this corruption, officers might directly benefit from the proceeds of illegal activities, cynically using these criminal networks as instruments for personal enrichment. This blurring of lines, where the protectors become complicit, if not active participants, in the crimes they are sworn to combat, represents a profound betrayal of public trust and a dangerous erosion of the very foundations of a just society.
Public perception overwhelmingly suggests that the registration of any case necessitates either bribery or significant influence. Indeed, in such environments, a bribe can often supersede even formal recommendations, allowing an individual to have a case registered with full procedure, regardless of its legitimacy.
Those with experience in police stations and courts frequently assert that corruption is deeply entrenched in our society, with bribery having effectively become a de facto prerequisite for many processes. Consequently, the common citizen has resigned themselves to the grim reality that even legitimate and lawful endeavours often require the payment of illicit sums.”
“Constrained by limited resources and manpower, the “Top Cop” often find their efforts to minimize crime seemingly futile. In such circumstances, authorities sometimes resort to a deceptive tactic: achieving crime control on paper by deliberately underreporting incidents. This creates a dangerous illusion of reduced crime, sharply contrasting with the public’s lived reality of its increase and the often-inadequate police response. This environment, where integrity wanes, fosters bribery within police stations, birthing the corrosive “Thana Culture.”
Recently, in the near past, a “Top Cop” introduced a novel method to simultaneously project crime control and appease the public: the “Front Desk.” This system mandated that all case reports pass through a designated officer. Complainants received a formal-looking receipt, presented as a preliminary step towards an FIR. However, this document was often a mere acknowledgment, neither recorded in daily logs nor used to initiate a formal FIR. This omission allowed crimes to remain off the books, perpetuating the statistical illusion of control while the community grappled with the unacknowledged reality.
This mirrors a broader societal issue where the lines between right and wrong blur, paradoxically elevating the corrupt. In institutions plagued by unchecked officials involved in corruption, the bosses often deny the problem, inadvertently empowering the corrupt elements. Public perception widely holds that case registration hinges on bribery or influence, often outweighing legitimate processes. For many, bribery has become a de facto requirement, leading to a grim acceptance that even lawful endeavours necessitate illicit payments.
It is the usual practice of the corruption departments that while accepting bribes, they portray themselves as helpless, claiming that the bribe is distributed from the bottom all the way to the top. People generally believe this narrative because, regardless of rank, the distribution of bribes does not hinder anyone’s work. A deeply concerning and, sadly, often acknowledged reality. If a nexus exists where gangsters are “feeding the police, FIA and other public dealing departments from top to bottom,” it represents a fundamental breakdown of law enforcement’s core mandate. Rebuilding trust and establishing genuine peace in such a scenario requires a systemic and multi-faceted strategy from police authorities. But, probably, the situation is beyond recovery.
The corruption grows in the police station level, is from Investigation Officers (IOs), Moharrars and Naib Moharrars who are so influential and believed to be un-transferable and irremovable from his post and often stick to his seat for unmeasurable time.