Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif warns of senior bureaucrats fleeing abroad

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has raised sharp concerns over what he called a deliberate, planned exodus of senior bureaucrats acquiring foreign residency and property while still in government service.

In statements posted on X on October 18, Asif accused sections of the civil service of using their time in office to prepare personal movements to Portugal, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and wider Europe. He questioned whether officials enjoying state patronage and high office remained loyal to the country or were merely operating "in transit".

Foreign property and dual nationality checks

This is not the first time Asif has targeted civil service loyalties. In August 2025, he claimed that more than half of Pakistan's bureaucracy had bought properties in Portugal, alleging that corruptly accumulated wealth was being funneled overseas ahead of retirement.

The allegations prompted Pakistan's Public Accounts Committee to order an enquiry, tasking the Ministry of Interior, the Establishment Division, the Federal Board of Revenue, and the State Bank of Pakistan to report on foreign property holdings among officials.

A separate government audit into federal staff records has underlined the extent of foreign ties within the administration.

Governance struggles and systemic uncertainty

While dual nationality or foreign property ownership is not inherently illegal under Pakistani law, undisclosed holdings violate administrative service rules. More fundamentally, the reliance of senior officials on overseas safety nets highlights systemic fragility and declining confidence in the country's governance.

Pakistan ranks 136th out of 182 countries on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, with a score of 28 out of 100. Audit reports regularly highlight the difficulty of recovering diverted public funds once former officials relocate abroad, as demonstrated by ongoing efforts to trace funds in financial misconduct cases involving overseas bank accounts.

Commenting on the statements, former Indian National Security Advisory Board member Tilak Devasher remarked that bureaucrats typically have their ears to the ground, asking whether the planned relocations signaled that senior officials were abandoning a troubled administration.

Retired Lieutenant General Devendra Pratap Pandey noted the stark contradiction between officials benefiting from state office and simultaneously planning exits to Western nations. As political and economic challenges persist across Pakistan, the defence minister's public critique has put the loyalty and accountability of its governing class back under intense scrutiny.