Pakistan’s transparency drive under its International Monetary Fund programme has come under fresh pressure after several senior officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) failed to submit mandatory declarations of their assets and liabilities.
Officials familiar with the matter said an internal scrutiny exercise revealed that multiple tax officers did not comply with orders requiring detailed disclosure of personal wealth, despite repeated instructions issued as part of governance reforms tied to the IMF bailout agreement.
Following the review, the FBR circulated an urgent directive to members, chief commissioners, and director generals, instructing them to ensure immediate compliance across all departments. Officers have now been ordered to submit records covering their assets accumulated over the past decade of service.
The tax authority issued what officials described as a final warning, noting that several officers remained in violation even after earlier reminders. The FBR has fixed April 24, 2026 as the last date to submit pending declarations up to the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
Authorities warned that officers who fail to comply within the deadline will face suspension of performance allowances without further notice, signaling a tougher enforcement stance within the institution responsible for tax compliance nationwide.
A consolidated report containing asset declarations of all officers will subsequently be forwarded to the Establishment Division as part of federal oversight measures.
The development comes as Pakistan implements structural reforms under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility agreed with the IMF, which places strong emphasis on anti-corruption measures, institutional transparency, and accountability within state institutions. Under the reform roadmap, public disclosure of senior civil servants’ assets is expected to be completed by December 2026.
Officials also confirmed that the FBR plans to launch a digital asset-declaration system by June 2026 aimed at improving monitoring, verification, and compliance — a step viewed as critical for maintaining IMF confidence and ensuring continued financial support.
