Polls body restores PTI MNA’s membership

ISLAMABAD: Election authorities on Monday restored the membership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Shehryar Afridi after a suspension of more than three months.

His membership to the National Assembly was temporarily suspended for not filing asset details with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). His presence in the National Assembly last Thursday exposed the lack of coordination between election authorities and parliament.

Afridi was seen in TV footage of scuffles between PTI and PML-N lawmakers.

The ECP had barred Shehryar Afridi from taking part in parliament’s proceedings on October 15 last year. He was among 66 National Assembly lawmakers and scores of other parliamentarians who did not submit their annual statements of assets and liabilities for the previous financial year.

Under the law, all members of parliament and provincial assemblies are bound to file a certified statement regarding his personal, spouse’s and dependents’ assets and liabilities to the ECP by September 30 every year.

The ECP allows a 15-day grace period before suspending the lawmakers’ memberships who failed to comply with legal provisions.

Afridi claimed that he had submitted details of his assets on January 2. But, the ECP contradicted his claim and stated that they received his details last Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2017.