Bill binding gazetted officials to declare assets passed by Senate

ISLAMABAD: The Senate passed the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025, during the budget session on Thursday, making it mandatory for civil servants from BPS-17 to BPS-22 to publicly declare their domestic and foreign assets, including those of immediate family members. These declarations will be uploaded on departmental websites to ensure transparency. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar informed the House that the bill had already been passed by the National Assembly and was part of Pakistan’s commitment to international bodies like Transparency International and Amnesty International to curb corruption and improve governance.

The bill strengthens the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1964 and aligns with the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will oversee the digital asset disclosure system, while the Establishment Division will conduct risk-based audits. The Senate also took up two amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) aimed at abolishing the death penalty for two controversial offences:

1. Section 354-A (Public stripping of women): The maximum punishment will now be life imprisonment with property forfeiture and fine, replacing the death penalty imposed in 1983 under General Ziaul Haq. The offence remains non-bailable, non-compoundable, and arrestable without a warrant.

2. Section 402-C (Harbouring hijackers): Now punishable by life imprisonment and fine, the death sentence clause has been removed. The law minister noted the disproportionate severity of the punishment and clarified that “intent to commit the crime” is crucial.

Opposition leader Shibli Faraz supported a broader review of criminal laws, which the law minister agreed should be handled by the relevant committee. Meanwhile, controversy erupted over the sudden presentation of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2025, by PMLN Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu. Opposition parties, particularly PTI, condemned its inclusion during a non-private members’ day amid budget proceedings. The proposed amendment seeks to cap spending in bar elections, limit candidacy to practicing lawyers, and maintain a 15-year experience requirement. The opposition alleged the bill was introduced with malicious intent to influence upcoming bar council elections, calling its procedure unprecedented and non-transparent. Despite the legislative activity, lawmakers on both sides stressed the need for greater budget allocations for education and health. The Senate will reconvene on Friday and is expected to be prorogued following passage of the budget recommendations.