Failure to submit asset details:ECP suspends memberships of 212 lawmakers

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday suspended over 212 members of the parliament and provincial assemblies for not submitting details of their assets and liabilities despite passage of given deadline. According to notification of ECP the suspended legislators will not be able to attend parliament or provincial assembly sessions as long as their memberships remain suspended. A total of 212 lawmakers including 40 members of the National Assembly, two members of the Senate, 98 members of the Punjab Assembly, 29 members of the Sindh Assembly, 34 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and nine members of the Balochistan Assembly failed to submit their details of assets and liabilities.  Some of the suspended prominent lawmakers were identified as Owais Muzaffar Tappi, Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal, Danial Aziz, Mohsin Shahnawaz, Zulfiqar Bhatti, Faisal Jamal Ghulam Rabbani Khar, Owais Leghari, Pir Sadruddin Shah, Arif Alvi, Shugafta Jamali, Senator Abdul Qayyum Soomro, Senator Mohammad Yousuf, Sirajul Haq, Raja Pervez Ashfaq, Naghma Mushtaq and Tariq Maseeh. Under Section 42-A of the Representation of Peoples’ Act, 1976 and Section 25-A of the Senate (Elections) Act, 1975, all members of the parliament and provincial assemblies are required to submit with the ECP yearly statements of assets and liabilities of their own as well as spouses and dependents by Sept 30. The ECP under the law is to notify ‘by October 15’ the names of those who do not submit their statements by the last prescribed date (Sept 30) and to direct that such members will cease to function till the legal formality is met.INP