Pakistan’s law enforcement agency is perceived as highly corrupt by the public due to outdated regulations, broad discretionary powers, entrenched corruption, political patronage, low salaries, and lack of accountability. The 2025 National Corruption Perception Survey by Transparency International has once again placed the Pakistan police department at the top, reinforcing the prevalent belief in its corruption. Nearly a quarter of respondents in the survey described the Pakistani police as the most corrupt government department.
The Transparency International report highlighted that 34% of respondents singled out the Punjab Police Department as the most corrupt among all provinces in Pakistan. A Pakistani national named Shamas Ali expressed concerns, stating that the Punjab Police has become deeply mired in bribery, abuse of power, and brutality against innocent individuals. According to Tariq Abbas Qureshi, Inspector General of Police in Pakistan, corruption within the police force has significantly eroded the rule of law and is deeply ingrained in a patron-client social and political culture.
Qureshi emphasized that police corruption in Pakistan is a politicized, institutionalized, and normalized issue. The low wages of police officers and inadequate resources for police operations create an environment conducive to corruption. The report also noted instances of corruption among women police officers in Pakistan, with a female police constable, Sakina Bibi, being arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe to prevent a staged encounter killing. Human Rights Watch (HRW) from New York labeled the Pakistani police as one of the most abusive, corrupt, and unaccountable state institutions.
The HRW report highlighted that non-registration of FIRs (First Information Reports) is often tied to corruption, with police demanding bribes before registering complaints. Financial constraints are seen as a driver of corruption within the police force, negatively impacting public trust. Corruption within the police department is a significant challenge that undermines the credibility and effectiveness of law enforcement in Pakistan.
