Pakistan’s anti-corruption agency has strongly rejected key findings of a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, arguing that the assessment does not accurately reflect the progress made in transparency and governance. The IMF report raised concerns about corruption risks, but officials insist that Pakistan anti-graft reforms have improved oversight and reduced misuse of public resources.
In its Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment, the IMF noted significant institutional weaknesses and pointed to Pakistan’s high corruption risk. The report said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recovered Rs5.31 trillion in 2023–24 but secured only 31 convictions in two years. The IMF called for a 15-point reform plan to strengthen accountability mechanisms.
A senior NAB official, speaking anonymously, dismissed the findings, calling the assessment “perception-driven” and not supported by complete data. He said sustained Pakistan anti-graft measures had reduced corruption by 20–25 percent in the last two years. He added that NAB had carried out major recovery operations in coordination with provincial authorities.
The official also rejected IMF concerns over NAB’s “voluntary return” mechanism, saying every settlement is overseen by a NAB court. He clarified that most recoveries involved the retrieval of state land mismanaged for decades, not criminal inquiries alone.
NAB officials shared additional performance data, claiming “unprecedented” recoveries of Rs8.4 trillion from March 2023 to October 2025. Around 4.53 million acres of state land were retrieved, and over Rs124 billion was returned to victims of housing scams and Ponzi schemes. Less than 3 percent of recoveries involved abuse of authority by government officials.
The Pakistan anti-graft body said reforms introduced after amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance in 2022 were designed to prevent misuse of power. New rules require the involvement of supervisory authorities in inquiries and consultation with assembly speakers when political figures are involved.
NAB has also overhauled its complaint system, banning anonymous submissions, requiring sworn affidavits, and establishing centralized complaint cells. Business Facilitation Cells have been set up to avoid harassment of the private sector during investigations.
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The official stressed that all recovered funds go directly to the national treasury and urged the IMF to engage more closely with the government before forming conclusions. He said Pakistan’s anti-corruption framework is being strengthened to build public trust and ensure better governance.
