The Establishment Division has moved to initiate disciplinary proceedings against senior government officers who have failed to declare their dual nationality, seeking the prime minister’s approval to act against defaulters in the country’s top bureaucratic grades.

According to sources, the Division has forwarded a summary to the Prime Minister’s Office requesting authorization to proceed against officers in Grades 20, 21, and 22 who have not submitted the mandatory declarations. Once the prime minister gives the go-ahead, show-cause notices will be issued to the officers concerned.

Officers found guilty of misconduct could face penalties ranging from withholding of promotion to compulsory retirement or outright dismissal from service, the sources said.

Nearly two-thirds of officers have not filed declarations

The move follows an audit of compliance that has thrown up striking numbers. Of the 2,917 government officers covered by the exercise, 62.5 percent have yet to submit declarations regarding dual nationality. Among those who have filed their declarations, just 8.68 percent disclosed holding foreign nationality.

The defaulters include officers from the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), Secretariat Group, and Office Management Group (OMG) serving in Grades 20, 21, and 22 — the senior echelons of the federal bureaucracy.

The Establishment Division’s push is aimed at closing the gap on non-submission of declarations and ensuring that officers found in violation of the requirement are held to account under the applicable rules.