ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has included officers of the federal, provincial governments, autonomous bodies, corporations and government-owned companies within the definition of public servant for the Declaration of Assets of Civil Servants Rules, 2023.
The FBR has issued an SRO.2263(I)/2025 to amend for Declaration of Assets of Civil Servants Rules, 2023.
According to the notification, “(ii-a) “Public Servant” means any officer of the federal or any of the provincial governments or autonomous bodies, corporations and companies owned by such governments having pay grade-l7 and above or equivalent, and includes an employee governed by the Civil Servants Act, 1973 (LXXI of 1973), but does not include the persons excepted under sub-clause (iv) of clause (n)of section 5 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.
The FBR had “Sharing of Declaration of Assets of Civil Servants Rules, 2023” for the sharing of information between the FBR and banks about the assets of civil servants working in BS 17-22.
FBR issues new definition of ‘public servant’
The rules shall apply to the sharing of information with banks. These rules shall apply for the limited purpose of sharing information in respect of civil servants in BS 17- 22.
The FBR shall share a simplified or abridged version of a declaration, based on the fields agreed with the State Bank, made by a civil servant in his electronic declaration filed with the FBR.
The banks shall use a pre-notified, secured, and single authorized email address, and the email account shall be under the control and responsibility of the head of compliance of the bank in terms of its authorization, use, and security of data being shared.
The bank shall communicate to the FBR the credentials of a maximum of four focal persons (officials) authorised to communicate with the FBR through the authorised email. The following information shall be furnished by the bank in respect of focal persons.
The bank shall promptly communicate any change of focal persons’ credentials above and shall not allow the use of the secured email until the credentials have been communicated to the FBR.
The FBR shall provide simplified or abridged information, within five working days, through the authorised email, or may refuse in case information is not available or cannot be provided due to any reason. In case of dispute, the decision of the FBR shall prevail, being the custodian of information.
The bank shall provide bi-annual feedback on the use of information received by the bank, as well as on the outcome of CDD in terms of the success of new accounts opened and how the information helped the bank in establishing its client relationship.
Case-wise feedback to be provided by 31st July and 31st of January of every year, with details of the preceding six months’ information on the requests made by the bank.
The FBR shall have a dedicated bank CDD desk assigned to an authorised officer supported by designated officials to deal with the information requests from the banks, the FBR added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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