ISLAMABAD: The government has assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it will speed up anti-corruption reforms, including making the assets of public officials public by December 2026, according to official sources.
Under the new plan, senior government officers will be required to submit their asset details through a digital system. Authorities also intend to give banks access to information about officials’ declared assets in order to improve transparency and reduce corruption risks.
Sources said the government is preparing a comprehensive digital database to record frozen, recovered and repatriated assets. There is also a strategy to strengthen international agreements to help bring back illegally transferred wealth from abroad. Asset recovery and management units will be further empowered to improve performance.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will develop a digital platform for the submission of asset declarations. As part of wider reforms, the government has decided to identify 10 major departments that are considered most vulnerable to corruption. The number and standards of reporting suspicious financial transactions will also be increased. A detailed anti-corruption action plan is expected to be finalized by October 2026.
Officials said the IMF has been informed that the government will release progress reports on these reforms every six months. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will be granted greater independence and will carry out a national corruption risk assessment this year.
A new task force will also be formed under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terror Financing Authority. It will include representatives from NAB, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the FBR, the Auditor General’s Office and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), among others.
In addition, the government has decided to improve the process for appointing the NAB chairman. The IMF has urged the creation of a commission that includes opposition representation for the selection. Authorities plan to introduce a merit-based, transparent and open selection system. NAB’s rules and performance reports will also be made public, while procedures for investigating and punishing money laundering cases will be further strengthened.
