Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday suspended membership of 154 federal and provincial lawmakers over failure to submit assets and liabilities statements.
The commission has suspended membership of three senators namely Musadik Masood Malik, Kamran Michael, and Shamim Afridi. Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Ali Zaidi, Amir Liaquat Hussain, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Mohsin Dawar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui are also included among 48 members suspended from the National Assembly. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who did not take an oath, is among 52 lawmakers suspended in Punjab, while Nasir Hussain Shah Rizvi and 18 others have been debarred from the Sindh Assembly. The ECP has suspended 26 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, including Kamran Khan Bangash and six from the Balochistan Assembly, including Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind.
According to Section 137(1) of the Elections Act, 2017, lawmakers are required to submit a statement of their assets and liabilities, as well as those of their spouses and dependent children, by December 31 each year. The membership of the lawmakers will remain suspended until they submit their respective statements.
Reacting to the development, Zaidi tweeted that he had submitted his asset declaration form on January 5 and added, “Don’t understand the fuss!”
Almost every year, the ECP suspends the membership of scores of lawmakers for not submitting the statement. Last year, over 300 lawmakers had failed to submit their asset details. Section 137 of the Elections Act reads: Every Member of an Assembly and Senate shall submit to the Commission, on or before 31st December each year, a copy of his statement of assets and liabilities including assets and liabilities of his spouse and dependent children as on the preceding thirtieth day of June on Form B.
