Islamabad: Pakistan has shared an action plan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to review the procedure for appointing the chairperson of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), introduce publication of asset declarations of senior federal civil servants by 2026, and implement a risk-based verification mechanism, according to a media report on Sunday.
Under the plan, the process for appointing the NAB chairman will be reviewed and a summary will be presented to the federal cabinet for consideration.
The IMF review mission is scheduled to visit Pakistan from February 25 to March 11, 2026, to evaluate performance under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the $1.4 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). A major focus will be Pakistan’s response to the Governance and Corruption Diagnostics (GCD) Assessment Report.
Pakistan has agreed to review and strengthen the legal framework governing appointments to key oversight institutions, including the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and NAB, to promote transparent and merit-based selection processes.
The appointment procedure for the SECP chairperson has been incorporated into a draft SECP Amendment Bill, proposing a selection committee to recommend candidates. The government plans to notify rules by June 27 to codify appointments of the chairperson, commissioners, and Policy Board members, ensuring initiation of the process at least three months before completion of tenure. An annual governance and transparency report approved by the SECP Policy Board will also be published to improve oversight and investor confidence.
Similarly, amendments to the Competition Act 2010 will be required to establish an independent appointment process for the CCP chairperson. Rules covering appointments of the chairperson and members, along with an annual governance report approved by the commission, are also targeted for completion by June 27 to enhance institutional effectiveness and market competition.
The appointment process for the NAB chairman will be reviewed after completion of the formal evaluation, with necessary action to be taken if required to improve public credibility of the anti-corruption watchdog by June 27.
Regarding asset declarations, senior civil servants are currently required to submit statements under existing laws, with data maintained by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) supporting verification. However, declarations are not publicly accessible and verification remains largely complaint-based.
To address this gap, the Establishment Division, in collaboration with FBR and relevant agencies, will introduce a computerized risk-based system by June 27 to identify cases for verification. A committee comprising the Establishment Division, FBR, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and NAB will review flagged cases and determine further investigation where necessary.
The initiative will also help identify systemic corruption risks and inform policy measures to reduce vulnerabilities. A phased plan will be introduced to make asset declarations publicly available on the Establishment Division website, while ensuring confidentiality safeguards.
The Civil Servants Act was amended in 2025 to allow public declaration of assets for officers in grades 17 to 22, while the Civil Service (Conduct) Rules will be revised by June 2026 to complete the legal framework.
An Accountability Facilitation Cell has also been established to oversee implementation, including development of the risk-factor model and coordination among agencies. With FBR’s support, a digital asset declaration system will be deployed across all ministries by 2027.