The federal government has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of the civil servants’ code of conduct, replacing a 62-year-old regulatory framework with stricter and more modern accountability measures focused on transparency, financial disclosure, and digital oversight.
Officials said the Civil Servants (Conduct) Rules 2026 mark one of the most significant reforms in Pakistan’s administrative system in decades, introducing new requirements for asset declarations, conflict-of-interest management, and social media regulation, while retaining core ethical principles of the 1964 rules.
Under the new framework, senior civil servants in BPS-17 and above will now be required to submit annual digital asset declarations, which will also be made public after removal of sensitive personal details.
These declarations will undergo verification by the Federal Board of Revenue, and officers may be asked to explain any discrepancies or unexplained increases in wealth.
The rules also introduce mandatory disclosure of virtual assets, including cryptocurrencies, along with bank accounts, shares, insurance policies, securities, and jewellery valued above Rs5 million. Officials said this move is aimed at bringing greater transparency in the financial affairs of public office holders.
A comprehensive conflict-of-interest system has also been introduced for the first time, requiring civil servants to declare any personal or family interests that may influence official decision-making. Officers will be required to withdraw from procurement, recruitment, or policy decisions where such conflicts exist.
In a major shift toward digital governance, the new code places strict restrictions on social media usage by government officers. Civil servants will no longer be allowed to operate blogs, websites, YouTube channels, or similar platforms without prior approval. They are also barred from using personal accounts to promote official work for self-publicity.
Authorities may also require officials to disclose all social media accounts as part of compliance monitoring.
The government has further tightened rules regarding gifts, hospitality, and financial conduct, prohibiting officers and their families from accepting gifts from individuals, corporations, or foreign representatives, except under permitted legal frameworks.
Civil servants will also be required to ensure their lifestyle remains consistent with declared income and may have to justify major personal expenditures.
Under new employment restrictions, officers joining private-sector roles during approved leave must obtain prior clearance and will be barred for three years from handling any official matters related to their former employer after returning to service.
The rules also allow limited professional engagements such as teaching and consultancy, provided they do not interfere with official duties, with a portion of earnings required to be deposited into the national treasury.
Additional provisions mandate immediate reporting of criminal charges or arrests, prohibit false or frivolous complaints against colleagues, and restrict unauthorized engagement with foreign missions or donor agencies.
The federal government has also extended the scope of the new rules to cover autonomous bodies, regulatory authorities, universities, and state-owned enterprises, significantly broadening its reach across public institutions.
Officials said violations of the Civil Servants (Conduct) Rules 2026 will be treated as misconduct under existing disciplinary laws, enabling strict punitive action against offenders.
They described the reform as a landmark shift toward a more transparent, digitally monitored, and accountability-driven civil service system designed to meet the demands of modern governance.
