Govt accepts IMF demand to public officers’ asset declaration

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has fulfilled another condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), making it mandatory for all government officers in Grade 17 and above to publicly declare their assets, ARY News reported on Saturday.

A gazette notification for the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has been officially issued following approval by President Asif Ali Zardari. The bill aims to enhance transparency and provide public access to the asset declarations of senior government officials.

The Establishment Division has forwarded the gazette notification to all federal ministries and divisions.

The legislation is intended to further operationalize the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1964—specifically Rules 12, 13, and 13-A—and align them with the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2017.

Under the framework, asset declarations of officers in Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 17 to 22—including assets beneficially owned domestically or abroad by the officials or their family members—will be filed digitally and made publicly accessible.

The bill provides that sufficient safeguards will be ensured to protect sensitive personal information, such as national identity numbers, residential addresses, and bank or bond account numbers.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will maintain the digital platform, while the Establishment Division will be equipped with a robust framework, resources, and tools to conduct risk-based verifications of the submitted declarations.

The move is aimed at promoting transparency, strengthening public trust, and enhancing accountability across the federal bureaucracy.

Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised concerns over political interference in civil service appointments in Pakistan.

According to sources, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva highlighted systemic flaws in Pakistan’s governance structure during a meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.

The IMF expressed reservations about widespread corruption risks, citing weak institutional accountability and fragmented decision-making processes, sources said.