RAWALPINDI:
For many visitors to the Rawalpindi Excise and Taxation Department, touts are an ‘efficient and convenient’ way to get their work done.
The touts work as middle men between the applicants and the excise department officials. Most of the time, people have to rely on touts for simple tasks such as vehicle registration and transfer due to non-transparent and complex procedure.
The excise department office Rawalpindi receives hundreds of visitors every day. But despite tall claims by the high-ups of action against corrupt officials and agents, dozens of touts continue fleecing the visitors.
The agents share the bribe with some of the officials of the department. The officials delay and reject applications on one pretext or another and thus force many to turn to agents.
“The illegal practice continues even after all the record has been computerize,” said an official, who wished not to be named. He said the department needs surgical reforms. “The best way is to reshuffle officials who have been posted at one place for years now.”
Raja Fiaz came from Gujar Khan to get registration book of his car. He said the department officials were delaying his file and he had to pay Rs1,200 to a tout.
A senior city district government official proposed legislation to punish the officials and agents involved.
Muhammad Sirajul Haq, a British-Pakistani resident of Kallar Syedan, says after a month the department has yet to transfer a vehicle he bought to his name. He said the officials were deliberately delaying his file since they knew that he came from abroad. “What is this? Do they want me to pay them bribe through a tout,” He commented.
Rawalpindi Commissioner Zahid Saeed says the administration has taken action and arrested a number of touts. He claimed many officers were suspended by the department after they were found guilty of taking bribes. “We need a law to punish the culprits and stop the practice,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2014.
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Officers were just suspended ? They should have put them in jail for next thirty yrs plus confiscate their assets and freeze the accounts of those officers. Make them an example for the future generation of corrupt officers.