Transparency International Pakistan has raised serious concerns over a proposed amendment to election laws that could restrict public access to asset declarations of parliamentarians, warning that the move may weaken transparency and democratic oversight.
In a statement, the organization urged the president, federal government, and members of parliament to avoid introducing restrictions through the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which has been introduced in the National Assembly of Pakistan.
According to TI Pakistan, existing provisions under Sections 137 and 138 of the Elections Act, 2017 play a vital role in ensuring public scrutiny of lawmakers’ financial interests and maintaining political integrity in line with international transparency standards.
The organization cautioned that limiting public access to such information could weaken a key accountability mechanism that allows citizens to monitor the financial integrity of public office holders.
Transparency International Pakistan also noted that the proposed amendment may run counter to reforms recommended in the IMF Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Report on Pakistan, which calls for greater transparency in the asset declarations of senior public officials.
It pointed out that Pakistan has already made progress toward these goals through legislative measures such as the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025, passed by the Senate of Pakistan, requiring civil servants from BPS-17 to BPS-22 to publicly declare both domestic and foreign assets, including those of their immediate family members.
The organization warned that restricting similar disclosure requirements for parliamentarians would create an imbalance in accountability standards between the executive and legislative branches.
TI Pakistan further cautioned that the move could have negative implications for the country’s ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index issued annually by Transparency International, where public accountability remains a central evaluation factor.
It also stressed that limiting asset disclosure could conflict with Pakistan’s commitments under the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which promotes transparency and public disclosure to prevent corruption and conflicts of interest.
Transparency International Pakistan called on lawmakers to withdraw the proposed amendment and ensure that strong transparency laws governing the financial disclosures of parliamentarians remain intact.
