The Transparency International (TI), in its survey on "corruption in South Asia," has revealed high levels of corruption in public institutions in the region, with police as the most corrupt in all.
The five countries, covered under the survey, were Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The survey identified the judiciary as the second most corrupt area in all the countries except Pakistan, where land administration and tax departments were identified as the second and third most corrupt areas.
According to the survey in Pakistan, 92 percent of the household that came into contact with the police and judiciary reported having to pay bribes.
The average reported amount paid as illegal gratification was Rs 4,811 per survey.
It responded to a huge figure, considering the level of poverty in the country with over 48 million people living below the poverty line as defined by subsistence level of existence on less than a dollar per day, the survey observed.
The United Nations convention against corruption was signed by Pakistan at the high level political conference, held in December 2003 at Merida, Mexico.
It was considered as the first effective global legal instrument against corruption, which set new standards in domestic and international law by committing its signatories to enhanced co-operation and mutual legal assistance, particularly on the return of assets.
Under the convention, the members would have to bring in line their judicial, law-enforcement and public sectors with the terms laid down in the charter, and implement preventive anti-corruption policies and practices.
Policies for public procurement and management of public finances and codes of conduct for public officials would have to be developed and revised in line with the guidelines laid down in the convention.