IMF want Pakistan to public govt officers' asset data by Dec

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has directed the Pakistan government to make public assets held by civil servants in grades 17 to 22 by December, sources told Nukta.

The Fund’s officials, who are in the country for talks on the loan program, have expressed serious concerns on Monday over continued delays in developing a digital asset declaration portal for government employees.

Pakistan was originally expected to launch the portal by June, but progress has remained stalled, prompting the IMF to issue a firm deadline for completion by year-end.

The IMF has now tasked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) with providing technical support to the Establishment Division for the timely development and monitoring of the system. Under the proposed mechanism, the FBR will be responsible for identifying any civil servant who fails to declare assets accurately or attempts to conceal them.

An estimated 25,000 federal employees fall within grades 17 to 22, and concerns persist over the accuracy and transparency of their asset declarations. In addition, staff from key regulatory bodies, including the State Bank of Pakistan, NEPRA, OGRA, and the PTA, have so far been exempt from such disclosure requirements.

In a move to reinforce accountability, the IMF has further directed that any civil servant found guilty of asset misreporting should face financial penalties and formal investigations.

This push for asset transparency is part of the IMF’s broader structural reform agenda tied to its ongoing financial assistance program for Pakistan. With the country facing fiscal pressures and struggling to restore institutional credibility, the Fund views public disclosure of officials’ assets as a critical measure to improve governance and combat corruption.

UNCAC report delay raises concerns

Sources further revealed that the IMF has also urged Pakistan to publish the United Nations Convention against Corruption country review report at the earliest. The publication was originally scheduled for August, but objections raised by Pakistani authorities have caused delays.

Meanwhile, the Finance Division confirmed that the IMF delegation held high-level meetings with government officials on Monday as part of the ongoing second economic review.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb briefed the delegation on key macroeconomic indicators, including tax revenue performance, fiscal outlook, and recent improvements in Pakistan’s credit ratings by international agencies.

Officials also informed the IMF about the economic impact of recent floods, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, and outlined how emergency funds are being deployed to manage recovery and relief efforts.