Pakistan Makes Asset Declaration Mandatory for Grade 17 Officers to Meet IMF Condition
ISLAMABAD: In a major move to boost transparency and fulfill conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the federal government has made it compulsory for all government officers in Grade 17 and above to publicly declare their assets.
On Saturday, a gazette notification for the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was officially issued following its approval by President Asif Ali Zardari. This landmark legislation is designed to strengthen accountability across Pakistan’s federal bureaucracy and provide the public with access to the declared assets of senior government officials.
What the New Law Means
Under the new rules, all civil servants from Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 17 to 22 must digitally file annual declarations of their assets—both domestic and foreign. These declarations will also include assets beneficially owned by their family members.
To safeguard privacy, sensitive personal details such as national identity numbers, residential addresses, and bank account information will not be made public.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will manage the digital platform for the asset declarations, while the Establishment Division will oversee a robust verification framework to ensure the accuracy of the submitted information.
According to officials, this step operationalizes key provisions of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1964, aligning them with the Right to Information Act, 2017. The move aims to address long-standing concerns about transparency and corruption in Pakistan’s bureaucracy.
Why This Matters
This development comes amid strict scrutiny by the IMF, which has repeatedly flagged issues of political interference, lack of institutional accountability, and risks of corruption within Pakistan’s governance structure.
During a recent meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva reportedly raised concerns about weak accountability mechanisms and systemic flaws in civil service appointments.
By enforcing the public declaration of assets, the government aims to rebuild public trust and demonstrate its commitment to meeting IMF requirements—an essential step as Pakistan seeks financial stability and continued support from international lenders.
Next Steps
All federal ministries and divisions have now received the gazette notification and are required to ensure that relevant officers comply with the new law.
While the bill promises greater transparency, it also includes safeguards to protect personal and financial information from misuse—balancing public interest with privacy rights.
