Bribe taking is endemic in Pakistan. People of all levels, from petty officials to ministers and MPs, are at it. In the case of the latter, the chain is often more complicated and payment finds its way to the minister or his family via a long-winded route.
Influential MPs and Ministers often reward their supporters and close family with land. There are complicated and archaic rules about who owns the waste land that abuts land that is under active cultivation (called ‘shamlaat land’). The complicated rules, coupled with general absenteeism of lawful owners, has created an opportunity for venal politicians and their supporters. In Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, all the electorate is not equal. If someone has gone out of their way to support you, then an obligation is created to ‘help’ that person. Giving them other peoples land is one way. All the parties, without exception, play by these rules.
With petty officials, the bribe taking is more overt. You simply hand over the cash, and the work is done. I experienced this at Islamabad Airport. An official asked if I would like to have my luggage searched, or pay some ‘tea’ money and not have it searched. All this happened beneath a large sign in Urdu, which translates: ‘Both the bribe taker and bribe giver are sinners’.
