Poll body’s directives evoke frigid response

Only 370 of 1,170 legislators share asset information on the election commissions directive.

ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers have given a frigid response to the election commission’s directive on sharing asset information as only 370 of the 1,170 legislators have so far filed their statements to the body.

The commission had given the lawmakers until September 30 for filing their statements of assets which is mandatory under Section 42A of the Representation of the Peoples Act 1976. Under the law, all public office-bearers are required to file their statements of assets and liabilities of their own, their spouses and dependants every year before October 1.

According to sources in the commission, only 41 senators in the 100-member upper house of parliament and 100 MNAs in the 342-member lower house of parliament have submitted their asset details with the poll body.

In the provincial offices of the election commission, 104 members from the Punjab Assembly, 62 from the Sindh Assembly, 38 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 25 from the Balochistan Assembly had so far submitted their asset statements. Punjab Assembly has a total strength of 371 members, Sindh has 168, K-P has 124 and Balochistan has 65.

In view of the poor response from the legislators, the election commission on Monday issued another statement urging the MPs to file their statements within the stipulated time.

The commission is legally bound to make these statements public by October 15 every year.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Judge Justice Shakirullah Khan has assumed the office of acting chief election commissioner. He will be performing the duties as the head of commission till chief election commissioner Justice (Retd) Hamid Ali Mirza returns from his foreign visit. ECP sources said Justice Mirza was on leave till October 11.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2010.