ISLAMABAD: The visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission met with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The one-hour meeting focused on judicial reforms and the ongoing changes to the judicial system. Discussions also covered the appointment of judges and the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
Following the meeting, the CJP briefed the media, stating that a letter from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan had been sent to the constitutional committee of judges. This committee will decide whether the matter falls under Article 183, Clause 3. The constitutional bench is set to review the issue.
The CJP emphasized that they had sworn to uphold the judiciary's independence under the constitution and clarified that providing all the details was not their role. He further explained the agenda of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee and mentioned that high courts oversee the subordinate judiciary.
The IMF delegation raised concerns about adherence to agreements and property rights. In response, the CJP confirmed that reforms are underway in these areas.
In a related development, the IMF rejected a request for an extension in asset declaration deadlines for government officials. A technical IMF delegation also held discussions with officials from the Cabinet Division, Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Law regarding the draft of asset declarations. This amended version of the Civil Servants Act is expected to be shared with the IMF in February.
Under the proposed amendment, government officials will be required to disclose their children's educational institutions, household income sources, assets of spouses, and power of attorney. Additionally, the IMF has urged the Ministry of Finance to ensure that these disclosures are made public.
