Islamabad September 3 2022: In order to further advance transparency, accountability, and integrity in the public sector, government will issue regulations to establish an electronic asset declaration system by end of this month as agreed with International agencies.
The system will be comprehensive, covering assets beneficially owned or located abroad, centrally-held with the Federal Board of Revenue, covering federal civil servants of Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 17 to 22, accessible to entities authorized by law and effectively verified.
Banks also have access to this data for the limited purposes of conducting customer due diligence as required for the provision of banking services.
It will also institutionalize public access for annual declarations for all members (elected and unelected) of the federal government cabinet of Pakistan.
The Finance (Supplementary) Act of 2022 authorizes the FBR to provide access to asset declarations of politically exposed persons and public servants in BPS-17 and above including their spouses, children, benamidars, or when they are the beneficial owner.
Together with Establishment Division, SBP and Financial Monitoring Unit, FBR will issue regulations to facilitate access to law enforcement and banks.
Government is undertaking the 2nd review cycle under the UNCAC implementation mechanism, and will publish the full report, including the findings, analysis, and recommendations for improving the anti-corruption framework.
A task force, to be established by the Ministry of Law and Justice and undertaken in consultation with the Ministry of Finance, with participation and inputs from reputable independent experts with international experience and civil society organizations, will complete and publish a comprehensive review of the institutional framework of our anticorruption institutions (including the National Accountability Bureau) to enhance their independence and effectiveness in investigating and prosecuting corruption cases, with proposals for legislative amendments as appropriate by end of January 2023. The task force will also recommend as appropriate structural reform measures that strengthen independence of anticorruption institutions, prevent political influence and persecution, and provide for transparency and accountability controls against abuse.
These measure will improve governance and helps to control corruption by strengthening the effectiveness of anticorruption institutions.
