Islamabad, November 22, 2025 – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has highlighted that Pakistan’s asset declaration system is fragmented, with different rules for government officials, military personnel, and the judiciary.
According to the IMF, asset declaration requirements vary for “government servants” and “holders of public office,” while serving members of the armed forces and judges follow separate procedures. Military personnel, for instance, are required to declare assets under rules that do not mandate public disclosure.
All public officers and government employees, both at federal and provincial levels, must file annual income tax returns and wealth statements with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). However, the IMF stressed that these tax filings are distinct from asset declarations, which serve as an anti-corruption measure rather than a tax compliance tool.
In the judiciary, every judge must submit asset declarations to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, though these are not made public. Publication of Supreme Court justices’ asset declarations is voluntary, with only a few judges choosing transparency. Similarly, the asset declarations of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chair and other senior officials are protected from public disclosure under a November 2020 decision by the Pakistan Information Commission, citing privacy concerns.
The IMF noted that a tailored asset declaration system for officials in sensitive and high-risk positions could strike a balance between transparency, accountability, and privacy protection. The organization emphasized the need for a robust, independent, and credible system to collect, verify, and manage asset declarations effectively.