ECP notifies returned candidates in by-polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday notified names of the returned candidates in the recent bye-election, holding back names of 13 for their inability to submit details of their poll expenses.

The ECP issued notification of winning candidates of seven National Assembly constituencies and 15 provincial assemblies. Those whose notifications have been held back include former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, it was learnt.

The returned candidates’ notifications, include that of Khawaja Saad Rafique from NA-131, Lahore, Chaudhry Salik Hussain from NA-65, Chakwal, Moonis Elahi from NA-69, Gujrat, Sheikh Rashid Shafique from NA-60, Rawalpindi, Zahid Akram Durrani from NA-35, Bannu, Malik Sohail from NA-56, Attock and Alamgir Khan from NA-243 Karachi.

The ECP directed lawmakers to submit details of statements of accounts to the Election Commission by December 31. Members of the Senate, the National Assembly and provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are required to submit yearly statements of assets and liabilities of their own, their spouses and their dependents to the Election Commission Secretariat. In a statement, the ECP said that the membership of parliamentarians would be suspended, if they failed to submit details of their statement of accounts within the deadline.