Ministries, divisions told to compile officers’ details

ISLAMABAD: Amid growing scrutiny of civil servants’ foreign ties, the federal government has ordered ministries and divisions to compile details of officers’ foreign nationalities, travel documents and dependants’ citizenship, warning that concealment or false declarations could invite disciplinary action.

In a notification issued on October 21, the Establishment Division directed ministries and divisions to submit consolidated information under the Civil Servants (Disclosure and Regulation of Foreign Nationality) Rules, 2026.

The rules require civil servants to declare their own and their dependants’ nationality status within 90 days of the rules’ publication in the official gazette.

Under Rule 3(3), officers must disclose whether they hold foreign nationality, possess foreign travel documents or are married to a foreign national.

They are also required to provide relevant details about their dependants’ nationality and travel documents.

Rule 3(4) stipulates that failure to submit the prescribed declaration, or the provision of false information, will constitute misconduct under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.

The latest directive requires ministries and divisions to compile records of officers under their administrative control, excluding those belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), Secretariat Group (SG) and Office Management Group (OMG).

The prescribed format seeks each officer’s name, designation and basic pay scale, confirmation of whether the declaration has been submitted, and details of the foreign nationality and travel-document status of the officer and their dependants.

Earlier this month, the Establishment Division issued a separate office memorandum directing civil servants to disclose their foreign citizenship, foreign travel documents and marriages to foreign nationals within one week.

The disclosure drive comes amid renewed scrutiny of the overseas settlement plans of senior bureaucrats following allegations by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that some influential officials had made arrangements to settle abroad while continuing to serve in the government.

In a recent post on X, Asif named Canada, the US, the UK and European countries as destinations where, he alleged, some officials had planned to establish permanent homes.

He singled out Portugal as a destination for what he described as a growing exodus of bureaucrats.

The minister also alleged that an individual facilitating permanent residency arrangements had fled after collecting substantial sums of money from influential bureaucrats.

He did not name the officials allegedly involved or provide documentary evidence to substantiate the claims.

Asif questioned whether senior officials who had held influential positions and enjoyed the privileges of public service considered Pakistan their permanent home or regarded government service as a temporary phase before moving abroad.—ZULFIQAR AHMAD