ECP seeks clarifications from MNAs on asset declarations

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Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sent notices to members of National Assembly seeking clarifications in their annual statements of assets and liabilities.

Speaking at a press conference in on Thursday, Election Commission Additional Secretary Muhammad Fida Khan said the ECP had started the audit of statements of assets and liabilities of members of National Assembly.

After the audit, the forms were being put before members of the ECP to seek orders for further action.

In the first phase, forms of 10 parliamentarians were scrutinised, he added.

The ECP scrutinised forms of NA 1 Peshawar I MNA Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, NA 2 Peshawar II  Hamidul Haq, NA 3 Peshawar III Sajid Nawaz, NA 4 Peshawar IV Gulzar Khan, NA 5 Nowshera I Imran Khattak, NA 6 Nowshera II Siraj Muhammad Khan, NA 7 Charsadda I Maulana Muhammad Gauhar Shah, NA 8 Charsadda II Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, NA 9 Mardan I Amir Haider Khan and NA 10 Mardan II Ali Muhammad Khan.

The forms of the members carried ambiguities and information was missing, the secretary said.

Fida said during scrutiny, it was observed that members of the assembly did not fill the forms carefully.

During years 2013 to 2016, the parliamentarians kept repeating the information, which they had first given in the nomination forms filed for contesting general elections of 2013.

The same annexure of assets and liabilities were repeatedly attached with the forms in four years without any change and increase or decrease in assets, he noted.

He said the ECP had sent notices to these members for clarifications. If the members would not send their clarifications within two weeks then reminders would be issued.

Fida hoped that the whole exercise of scrutiny of forms would be completed by June this year.

After audit of asset forms of members of National Assembly, forms of members of Senate and provincial assemblies would be analysed, he added.

To a question, he said the ECP was analysing the assets according to present laws and later would modify the asset forms according to the new law on electoral reforms.

He clarified that under the new law, responsibility of scrutiny would not be shifted to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) rather the ECP would continue performing this role.