Assets declaration must for govt servants
The federal government on Friday managed to pass a bill, amending the Civil Servants Act.
Under the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2025, Clause 15A was added after Clause 15 of the Act, making it mandatory for civil servants from Grade-17 to Grade-22 to declare all their domestic and foreign assets.
As per the proposed law, civil servants must also disclose the domestic and foreign assets and liabilities of their spouses and dependent children. Officers will be required to submit details of their own and their family's assets to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). These asset details will be made public.
Earlier, the NA Friday passed a total of nine legislative items, including six government bills, two private members' bills, and a resolution, with a majority vote.
The government successfully secured the house's approval for the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024, a crucial piece of legislation related to the upcoming federal budget.
Among the other government-sponsored bills passed were: Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Amendment) Bill 2024, Anti-Dumping Duties (Amendment) Bill 2025, Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2024, Transfer of Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2025.
In addition, the house also adopted two private members' bills from the supplementary agenda: Trade Organisations (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2025 (applicable within the limits of Islamabad Capital Territory). All bills were passed with a majority vote, without division.
The assembly also approved a resolution moved by MNA Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, urging the government to increase the upper age limit for CSS candidates to 35 years, and to allow five attempts for the competitive exam.
The resolution stressed that qualified aspirants were being excluded due to the restrictive age cap and limited number of chances.
Speaking on a point of order, PTI MNA Asad Qaiser raised concerns regarding the lack of a clear government policy on tobacco cultivation. "Farmers are deeply worried. The matter should be referred to the relevant standing committee," he urged.
In response, the federal minister for law and justice assured the house that the government was aware of the farmers' difficulties. "International market fluctuations do impact prices, but we will ensure that tobacco growers are not unduly burdened," he said.
The session was later adjourned by Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani until Monday at 5pm.
Wheat procurement
The government would not procure wheat this season and the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) would be closed down, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the National Assembly on Friday.
Speaking during the Question Hour, the minister said that farmers who were able to store their produce in their own warehouses would be compensated. He added that there were no restrictions on the movement or transport of wheat across the country.
"Wheat is currently performing well in the open market, which is benefiting farmers and improving their income," the minister told the house in response to a question. "The farmers who are able to store their produce in their own warehouses will be compensated," he added.
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