Pakistan’s Establishment Division has sought Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s approval to initiate disciplinary proceedings against 1,822 government officers who have failed to submit mandatory declarations about their foreign nationality status.
The proposed action covers senior civil servants in Grades 20, 21 and 22, including officers belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), Secretariat Group and Office Management Group (OMG).
According to a report published on October 30, 2026, the Establishment Division has forwarded a summary to the Prime Minister’s Office seeking permission to proceed against officers who have not fulfilled the disclosure requirement.
The development follows a briefing by government officials to the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on October 28. According to the Senate of Pakistan’s official meeting report, approximately 2,900 officers were covered by the declaration exercise, of whom 1,095 had submitted their declarations.
62.5% of Government Officers Have Not Submitted Declarations
The latest figures show that 62.5% of the 2,917 officers covered by the exercise have not submitted their declarations regarding foreign or dual nationality.
Among the 1,095 officers who completed the process, 95 disclosed that they held foreign nationality, representing 8.68% of those who submitted declarations.
The figures indicate a significant compliance gap within the federal government, particularly among senior officials serving in important administrative and law enforcement positions.
However, failure to submit a declaration does not establish that an officer holds foreign nationality. The government must distinguish between non-compliance with disclosure requirements and cases involving actual undisclosed foreign citizenship.
What Pakistan’s 2026 Dual Nationality Rules Require
The federal government introduced the Civil Servants (Disclosure and Regulation of Foreign Nationality) Rules, 2026, through an official notification published on June 1, 2026.
Issued by the Establishment Division under the Cabinet Secretariat, the rules require civil servants to disclose their own and their dependants’ foreign nationality status, possession of foreign travel documents and relevant marriages to foreign nationals.
Under Rule 3(3), civil servants were required to submit the prescribed declarations within 90 days of the rules’ publication in the official Gazette. The deadline expired on September 1, 2026.
Rule 3(4) establishes that failure to submit the required declaration or providing false information constitutes misconduct under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.
The government subsequently reminded officers to fulfil the requirement and warned that non-compliance could result in disciplinary proceedings.
The original notification can be consulted through the official Government of Pakistan Gazette.
Officers Could Face Compulsory Retirement or Dismissal
The Establishment Division has requested the prime minister’s authorisation to initiate formal proceedings against officers who have failed to submit their declarations.
Following approval, the concerned officials are expected to receive show-cause notices, giving them an opportunity to explain their failure to comply.
Depending on the findings and applicable service rules, disciplinary consequences could include withholding promotion, compulsory retirement or dismissal from government service.
The proceedings will allow the authorities to examine individual cases before determining whether a violation has occurred and what action, if any, is justified.
FIA Uses NADRA Data to Identify Undisclosed Nationality
The verification of foreign nationality declarations was also discussed during the October 28 Senate committee meeting.
Officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed lawmakers that its verification system is integrated with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS).
The system uses biometric and facial-matching capabilities to help identify potential cases involving undisclosed foreign or dual nationality.
The committee also discussed challenges in identifying officials who may travel using foreign passports.
According to the Senate briefing, Pakistan has dual nationality arrangements with 22 countries. Lawmakers also discussed the need to strengthen information-sharing between government departments and NADRA.
The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports provides official information about Pakistan’s nationality and passport arrangements.
The government’s latest move signals a shift from collecting nationality declarations towards enforcing compliance through formal administrative proceedings. The outcome will depend on the prime minister’s approval and the subsequent examination of individual cases.
