In a major move aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the public sector, the federal government is considering granting the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) expanded powers to examine the assets of civil servants whose declared wealth appears disproportionate to their known income sources.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, where officials from the Establishment Division briefed lawmakers on a new digital asset declaration framework currently under development.
According to officials, the government intends to launch an artificial intelligence-powered monitoring mechanism capable of detecting unusual increases in the assets of government officers. The system will automatically issue alerts whenever suspicious financial growth or unexplained wealth accumulation is identified.
Secretary Establishment Division Nabeel Awan informed the committee that all officers from Grade 17 to Grade 22 would be required to submit digital asset declarations under the new system, which is expected to become operational by December 2026.
The proposed framework would allow the FBR to scrutinise cases where officials continue submitting declarations over three consecutive years while showing significant unexplained increases in wealth or assets.
Officials maintained that the initiative forms part of wider governance reforms designed to modernise accountability mechanisms and improve financial transparency within government institutions.
Lawmakers were informed that the digital declaration platform is being developed in coordination with the FBR to ensure better data integration and automated monitoring capabilities.
Analysts say the use of AI-driven monitoring tools could help authorities identify potential financial irregularities more efficiently. However, experts also stressed the need for legal safeguards to prevent misuse of sensitive financial data and to protect the privacy rights of civil servants.
The Senate committee emphasised that transparency measures must be implemented in a fair and balanced manner, ensuring accountability without compromising due process.
The government is expected to finalise operational guidelines and technical procedures for the system ahead of its planned launch next year.
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