ISLAMABAD:
Approximately 150 members of parliament and provincial assemblies face suspension on Monday for failing to file statements of their assets, a yearly legal requirement for the country’s lawmakers.
Sources in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told The Express Tribune that a grace period of 15 days had lapsed on Saturday, though many members were yet to submit their financial details. Under Section 42A of the Representation of the People Act and Section 25A of the Senate (Election) Act, all the members of Senate, National and Provincial Assemblies have to file yearly statements of their assets and liabilities, as well as those of their spouses and dependents, by September 30 every year.
The rules are unambiguous in terms of failure to submit a statement. “The chief election commissioner shall, by October 15, notify the names of members who fail to file statements of assets and liabilities within the specified period and, by an order, direct that such members shall cease to function till such statement is submitted,” the law reads.
Officially the ECP should have revealed the names of members who did not file their statements on Saturday. Due to the official holiday the commission is now likely to issue a notification on Monday, an official from the ECP said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2011.
COMMENTS (5)
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@H.A. Khan: How is submission of assets/liabilities to Election Commission linked to the taxes? Taxes are deducted / paid on income whereas taxes on assets in Pakistan are negligible. Please do not confuse the issue. The submission of Statement of Liabilities and Assets is a matter of discipline which should be followed by all parliamentarians.
All parliamentarians who earn their salaries and allowances from Provincial, National Assemblies and Senate have their tax deducted at source!!!
Someone should also inform us about the political affiliations of these law makers.
Nothing new, this exercise is repeated every year, Nobody will be suspended. This is Pakistan where might is right and where Lawmakers do not care about Law.
Suspend them.If law makers do not follow the law ,the should be penalised.
No wonder people do not like to pay taxes in Pakistan.