Civil servants given one week to declare foreign nationalities or face action

Civil servants given one week to declare foreign nationalities or face action

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday gave civil servants who have not yet declared foreign nationalities held by themselves or their family members one week to file the required declarations, warning that officers who miss the deadline will face disciplinary proceedings.

The directive came in an office memorandum issued by the Establishment Division to all ministries and divisions, as well as provincial chief secretaries and police chiefs. It tightens enforcement of the Civil Servants (Disclosure and Prohibition of Foreign and Dual Nationality) Rules, 2026, which were published in the official gazette on June 1.

Rules require officers to declare foreign nationalities annually

Under Rule 3(3) of the 2026 rules, every civil servant was required to declare their own and their dependents’ foreign or dual nationalities within 90 days of the rules’ publication. That deadline expired on September 1.

The Establishment Division had already reminded departments on July 17 that all civil servants had to submit declarations in the prescribed format within 90 days of the rules’ notification. The declaration covers nationality status, possession of foreign travel documents and marriage to a foreign national. Under Rule 3(4), failure to submit the required declaration, or the submission of a false one, constitutes misconduct under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.

Senior cadres among those still non-compliant

The latest order points out that a number of officers belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service (formerly the District Management Group), the Police Service of Pakistan, the Secretariat Group and the Office Management Group had still not submitted their declarations.

The competent authority has directed that officers of these four services who fail to furnish their declarations within a week will be liable to proceedings under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.

Appointment can be voided over false declarations

The 2026 rules also require every civil servant, at the time of appointment, to declare to the cadre administrator whether they or any dependent is a foreign national or holds a foreign travel document.

“Failure to make such declaration or making a false declaration in this respect shall render the appointment void ab initio and liable to termination at any time,” Rule 3 states.

Civil servants are also required to file annual declarations with their cadre administrators on their own and their dependents’ foreign nationality status, and on whether any such status has been obtained or is in the process of being obtained.

What happens next

The one-week deadline puts immediate pressure on the remaining non-compliant officers, particularly in the senior cadres named by the Establishment Division. With the earlier September 1 deadline already expired, officials who stay silent now face formal disciplinary proceedings rather than another reminder.

The move fits a wider transparency drive this year, which has also seen officers in grades 17 and above told to file asset declarations on the FBR’s online portal. The foreign-nationality rules close a long-standing gap in service regulations, and the warning that appointments can be voided signals that enforcement will reach fresh recruitments as well as serving officers.

Frequently asked questions

Who must file the foreign nationality declaration?

Every civil servant of all cadres and categories, covering their own and their dependents’ foreign or dual nationality status, foreign travel documents and marriages to foreign nationals.

What happens if a civil servant misses the one-week deadline?

Officers of the named services who fail to furnish their declarations within a week will be liable to disciplinary proceedings under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.

Can an appointment be cancelled for hiding foreign nationality?

Yes. If the required declaration was not made, or was false, at the time of appointment, the appointment can be declared void from the outset and terminated at any time.

How often must the declaration be filed?

The declaration is required at the time of appointment and then annually to the officer’s cadre administrator.