The federal government has come up with a new set of rules which mandates that civil servants report any foreign citizenship, passport, residency or other foreign association they or their dependents may have.
The move is targeted to improve transparency, accountability and oversight of civil bureaucracy.
The new notification Civil Servants (Disclosure and Regulation of Foreign Nationality) Rules 2026, signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requires all civil servants to provide statements on foreign nationality and affiliations upon appointment and yearly renewals thereafter.
Current civil servants have been offered 90 days to submit information about any foreign citizenship or passports, residency permits or immigration status they or their dependent family members hold.
The new system requires civil servants to declare foreign citizenship, foreign travel documents, permanent residency, immigration status, and immigration programs.
The Establishment Division will keep a central database of these disclosures and departments and cadre-controlling authorities will ensure that it is maintained accordingly.
The rules also place restrictions on civil servants getting foreign citizenship or travel documents from a foreign country without any prior notice from the competent authority.
This is not the case for those who are born to or descended from foreign parents.
A strict penalty system is in place for violations. Foreign nationality, travel documents, or immigration related affiliations that are hidden may lead to departmental proceedings.
The failure to disclose such information has been defined as misconduct under the Civil Servants Act, 1973.
In addition, those officials who submit incorrect declarations or false information may be discharged from office for submitting false information.
Authorities are also to verify and be wary of all disclosures made by serving officers.
Also read: Assets declaration set mandatory for civil servants
