KARACHI: Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Ibrahim Khan has called for assistance of an amicus curie by considering essential in hearing National Corruption Perception Survey 2023 on judiciary corruption report. Accordingly, Niaz Ali Shah Professor at University of Hull UK is associated as amicus curie for proceedings in matter. He shall be so associated through video link to come up as mentioned above on January 29, 2024.

National Corruption Perception Survey 2023 has revealed that police remain most corrupt sector (30pc) in country. Tendering and Contracting was seen as 2nd most corrupt (16pc) and Judiciary 3rd most corrupt (13pc). Sindh Police has climbed to become most corrupt sector (37pc), Tendering and Contracting (14pc), Education (13pc).

According to Transparency International Pakistan, Inspector General of Police Punjab invited Transparency International to discuss proposed actions based on finding of TI Pakistan National Corruption Perception Survey 2022, declaring police as most corrupt sector in Punjab.

However, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court after publication of this report in media on December 11, 2023 took suo moto action against Transparency International and issued show-cause notice before Court on December 22, 2023, senior lawyer Hashmat Habib disclosed.

He said it appeared that National Corruption Perception Survey Transparency International 2023 was not read therefore under this apprehension respondent supplied copy of report by Whatsapp. During hearing Justice admitted that report was not read.

Chief Justice after going through report for convenience of TIP observed that Court will draft certain quarries for it is satisfactorily replies. With courtesy of registrar Peshawar High Court, Transparency International Pakistan received order sheet on December 22 and January 11, 2024, Hashmat Habib informed.

Court drafted certain queries and said if it could satisfactorily reply such queries, TIP’s report will be taken as source of self-cleaning mechanism for Judiciary or otherwise, TIP shall withdraw its report and publicly excuse for misconceived report through print and electronic media. TIP welcomed idea of confronting it with necessary queries for clarification and further insights before January 15, 2024.

Hashmat Ali Habib in his reply submitted that National Corruption Perception Survey report is perception of public on governance issues. It For instance, Judiciary in NCPS 2023 includes Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Session Judges, City Court, Provincial and Federal Ombudsman, High Court, Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court and Supreme Judicial Council.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 25 2024

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