Senate approves bill mandating asset disclosure of senior civil servants

The Senate has unanimously passed an amendment to the Civil Service Act, making it mandatory for government officers of grade 17 and above to publicly declare their assets, according to media reports.

The bill was approved during a session chaired by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar stated that since politicians are required to declare their assets, it is only fair that senior government officials follow the same principle of transparency.

“Globally, it is standard practice for public officials to declare their assets,” the minister said, citing Amnesty International and United Nations organizations in support of the move. He emphasized that transparency in matters related to corruption is essential, adding that “asset declarations of government officials should be displayed on official websites.”

Key Provisions of the Bill:

All officers of grade 17 and above will be required to declare their domestic and foreign assets, liabilities, as well as the assets of their spouses and dependent children.

These asset declarations will be submitted digitally to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and made available to the public.

Disclosures will be carefully balanced to respect privacy, security, and public interest, in line with the Access to Information Act.