Pakistan to Amend Civil Servants Act to Meet IMF Structural Benchmarks

Islamabad: The government of Pakistan has committed to amending the Civil Servants Act by the end of February 2025 to comply with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) structural benchmarks, which would require senior government officials from grades 17 to 22 to declare their assets publicly. The amendment will ensure that the assets of these officials, including those held by their family members, are digitally filed and made accessible to the public, with privacy protections for sensitive personal information such as ID numbers, residential addresses, and bank accounts.

The IMF’s technical mission on Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment held a virtual meeting with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Monday, discussing human resources, integrity management, recruitment processes, compensation, and related matters. The IMF report highlights that corruption, bureaucratic red tape, and a weak business environment are major obstacles to Pakistan’s socio-economic development.

The government has agreed with the IMF to amend the Civil Servants Act, enabling the FBR to create a robust framework to ensure the digital filing of assets, while maintaining appropriate confidentiality safeguards. A single authority will oversee the verification of these assets. The government also pledged to publish a report on its compliance with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) by September 2024 and issue a federal regulation to formalize this commitment.

In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the government will also review necessary amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance to improve the independence and effectiveness of NAB. Moreover, provincial anti-corruption agencies will be empowered to investigate corruption-related money laundering cases and receive financial information from the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU).

The government is taking these steps to enhance transparency and accountability, as part of efforts to combat corruption and create a more favorable environment for business and investment.