42 parliamentarians yet to submit assets and liabilities’ statements

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday said that as many as 42 parliamentarians have still not submitted their statements of assets and liabilities with the commission.

An official of ECP said that till submission of statements of assets and liabilities, the membership of these parliamentarians will remain suspended.

He said that the suspended parliamentarians included four members of National Assembly, 13 members of Punjab Assembly, 23 members of Sindh Assembly and two members of Balochistan Assembly. He added that all members of the Upper House of the Parliament and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly have submitted their assets statements with the ECP.

The official said that the commission has restored the membership of those senators, MNAs and members of four provincial assemblies who have submitted their yearly statements of assets and liabilities of their own, spouses and dependents.

He also said that earlier, the ECP had ceased the membership of these parliamentarians for failing to submit these statements.

He said that presently there were a total of 1,174 parliamentarians, which included 104 senators, 342 members of National Assembly, 371 members of Punjab Assembly, 168 members of Sindh Assembly, 124 members of KP Assembly and 65 members of Balochistan Assembly.

He also said that still, eight seats were lying vacant in Senate, National and provincial assemblies.

He said that submitting these statements was a mandatory requirement under Section 42A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 and Section 25A of the Senate (Election) Act, 1975 and those parliamentarians who fail to submit yearly statements of assets and liabilities would be suspended from their respective seats.