ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary committees of both houses on Wednesday saw heated criticism as lawmakers accused the government of failing to curb corruption and claimed the IMF’s newly released “Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment” singled out parliament and state institutions.
Read More: IMF’s GCDA Report: Rhetoric Vs Rationality
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, however, firmly rejected this interpretation, insisting that the report does not target the current government or legislature. The National Assembly and Senate finance committees held separate meetings to review the IMF findings and assess their implications.
Mr Aurangzeb briefed lawmakers on Pakistan’s commitment to publish the assessment as part of its agreement with the IMF. He explained that the report is extensive, comprising 423 paragraphs and 92 recommendations — including 15 priority ones — spread across seven thematic areas. The minister stressed that Pakistan itself initiated the diagnostic exercise and that similar assessments are carried out in many countries.
The latest #IMF report is devastating:
• Corruption is called a “macroeconomic disease.”
• Policies manipulated to benefit favorites.
• Governance failure blocking 6%+ GDP growth.When the IMF accuses your govt of deliberate mismanagement, crisis is structural. ¼@CJBdingo25 pic.twitter.com/jvRk2nvbP2
— Fariq Siddiqui (@SiddiquiFariq) December 3, 2025
Some lawmakers, including MNA Naveed Qamar, argued that the report was critical of parliament and government performance. The finance minister countered that it should not be viewed as an indictment of any institution and that the goal was to identify weaknesses and craft reforms.
Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal informed the committee that an action plan based on the IMF report would be finalised by Dec 31 and revealed that civil servants’ assets would be made public in the next fiscal year.
IMF corruption report Govt indictment: Parliamentarians!
A main arm of parliament on Wednesday declared the IMF report an “indictment of the government and parliament”, as the finance minister promised to submit an action plan in the current month to address governance and…
— Shahbaz Rana (@81ShahbazRana) December 4, 2025
Committee members reviewed gaps between IMF-recommended reforms and existing governance practices. They urged the government to shift from an ex-post-facto approval system to prior or quarterly parliamentary approval for financial adjustments. The panel also advised the Finance Ministry to refine the income tax ordinance amendment to ensure neutrality and reduce discretion.
Read More: IMF reported deep-rooted corruption risks in Pakistan’s governance system
Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee also discussed the IMF report, condemning corruption and urging strict national measures to combat it. Members expressed displeasure over the absence of key officials — including the finance minister, finance secretary and State Bank governor — and directed them to attend the next session to continue deliberations.