Civil Servants Will Now Lose Jobs for Hiding Dual Nationality

The federal government has introduced strict new rules requiring civil servants to disclose any foreign citizenship, passports, residency status, or other foreign affiliations held by themselves, their spouses, or dependent children, in a move aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability within the bureaucracy.

Under the newly notified Civil Servants (Disclosure and Regulation of Foreign Nationality) Rules, 2026, approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, all government employees will be required to submit declarations at the time of appointment and update them annually.

Existing civil servants have been given 90 days to disclose any foreign citizenship or foreign travel documents held by themselves or their dependent family members.

The new framework makes it mandatory for civil servants to report foreign citizenship, foreign passports, permanent residency status, immigration status, and related affiliations. The Establishment Division will maintain a centralized database, while relevant departments and cadre authorities will be responsible for regularly updating records of officers under their administrative control.

According to the notification, civil servants will not be allowed to acquire foreign citizenship or obtain foreign travel documents without prior approval from the competent authority. However, the restriction will not apply to individuals who possess foreign citizenship by birth or descent.

The government has also introduced strict penalties for non-compliance. Any officer found concealing foreign citizenship, foreign travel documents, or participation in immigration programs could face departmental proceedings. Failure to disclose such information has been classified as misconduct under the Civil Servants Act, 1973.

The rules further state that if a government employee provides false information or submits an incorrect declaration regarding foreign citizenship, the individual’s appointment may be declared void from the outset and terminated at any stage. Authorities have also been directed to scrutinize and verify disclosures submitted by serving officers.