ECP suspends memberships of 154 lawmakers

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday suspended memberships of 154 federal and provincial assembly members for failing  to submit assets and liabilities statements.

From the Senate, Musadik Masood Malik, Kamran Michael, and Shamim Afridi's membership has been suspended.  While  48 Members of the National Assembly including Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Ali Zaidi, Amir Liaquat Hussain, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Mohsin Dawar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has also been suspended. 

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan 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.

Under the sub-section (1) of Section 137 of the Elections Act 2017, with rule 137 of the Elections Rules 2017, a member of an assembly and Senate is required to submit a copy of his statement of assets and liabilities every year on or before December 31.

If the member of assemblies or Senate fails to submit the documents, then the ECP can, under sub-section 3 of Section 137, suspend their membership. It may be mentioned here that the membership will be reinstated once the assets and liabilities statements are submitted.