Latest news with #CivilServants(Amendment)Bill2025
Business Recorder
20-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Servants (Amendment) Bill 2025 passed in Senate
ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of the Parliament has passed the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2025, which provides that the financial assets of gazetted officers and those of their spouses and dependent children, to be filed with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), shall be publicly available. Already passed by the National Assembly, the bill now seeks the final yet ceremonial assent of President Asif Ali Zardari to become a law. Law Minister Azam Tarar presented the bill in the Senate session, presided over by Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday, following its passage by the standing committee concerned, earlier this month. The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025 seeks to amend the Civil Servants Act, 1973 with the insertion of new Section 15-A. This section provides that the declaration of assets of civil servants of basic scale (BS) 17 and above, their spouses and dependent children, including domestic and foreign assets and liabilities (if any), shall be digitally filed with the FBR, and same shall be publicly available— 'Provided that the extent of disclosure, under this section, shall give due regard to the balance between public interest for good governance and individual privacy and security.' The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill reads: To further operationalise the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1964— and consistent with the Right to Information Act of 2017, to 'ensure that asset declarations of high-level public officials (BPS 17 - 22) (Including domestic and foreign assets beneficially owned by them or a member of their family) will be digitally filed and publicly accessible (with sufficient safeguards over data protection and privacy of personal information such as ID numbers, residential addresses, bank account or bond numbers) through the FBR with a robust framework, resources and tools for the Establishment Division to conduct risk-based verification.' Speaking on the floor of the House, Tarar, the Law Minister, said, the civil servants of BS-17 to 22 would have to declare their assets and those of their spouses and dependent children 'just like politicians declare their assets and those of their family members.' New bills; Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, were moved in the House and referred to the relevant standing committees. Meanwhile, the Senate continued discussion on the proposed federal budget for the upcoming financial year 2025-26. Speaking on the occasion, Husna Bano from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) demanded complete withdrawal of taxes on solar panels. Another PPP Senator Aslam Abro demanded withdrawal of proposed carbon levy on vehicles. Different senators from other political parties also shared their views on the proposed federal budget. The Senate was adjourned till today (Friday). Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
16-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Assets declaration must for govt servants
PML-N-led coalition government in the Centre now has 229 members in the NA. PHOTO: APP 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.
