The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised concerns about Pakistan’s beneficial ownership system on August 16, 2025, citing inadequate data sharing among institutions and weak measures to combat money laundering. The critique, part of the IMF’s governance and corruption diagnostic assessment, underscores gaps in Pakistan’s efforts to curb financial crimes and calls for urgent reforms.

The IMF recommended bolstering the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and tightening anti-money laundering laws to enhance oversight. It also urged Pakistan to implement structural reforms to address corruption risks and foster transparent governance. The diagnostic aims to identify priority areas for reform, with a detailed action plan expected by October 2025 as part of the final Governance and Corruption Diagnostic (GCD) report.

In response, Pakistan’s government plans to challenge the IMF’s draft report. A senior official confirmed that Islamabad received the draft and will submit feedback before the report’s final release by the end of August. The official argued that the IMF’s findings fail to reflect Pakistan’s on-the-ground progress in strengthening institutional frameworks to combat corruption and terror financing. “We’ve committed to the IMF to enhance capacities for inclusive growth and equal opportunities for businesses,” the official added.