On bribery

Here in Karachi, bribery has become almost a fact of life. To get anything done efficiently, one simply HAS to give bribes. For example, police officers routinely give "discounts" on their chalaans, bringing the fine down from Rs 500 or so to Rs.50. Of course, if you decide to "avail" this "discount" you will not have your license taken away or have to fill out a proper form. The policeman simply pockets the money and walks away.
Of course, now it's not just the policemen who ask for bribes. KESC, CDGK and almost all government employees now ask for "help" or "bhatta" (protection money) to ensure speedy service. On festivals like Eid, policemen routinely stop over trucks and threaten to fine them for irrelevant things unless they pay up. In the major markets, millions of rupees change hands every month in the form of bribes. Also, some of the police departments are so fire with corruption that the collection of protection money is their sole occupation between 9 A.M and 5 P.M, thus ensuring that markets are an easy target for robbers
Recently, the TCP (Trade Corporation of Pakistan) launched a tender to buy 100,00 bales of cotton (the full story is available at http://www.dawn.com/2009/01/04/ebr11.htm). However, to ensure that a company's bid is even considered, bribes in the order of Rs.15,000 must be given to the Director of the TCP.
I think that now only God's gonna stop this country from actually going to the dogs.