Unexplained delays: 58 lawmakers including CM yet to file asset details

ECP’s deadline passed on September 30, extension ends on October 15.

PESHAWAR:

Fifty-eight lawmakers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have failed to file statements of their assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) although the deadline set by the ECP was September 30.

A senior official of the ECP, while requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune on Tuesday that out of the 58 lawmakers, 47 are K-P MPAs, while others include Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, four MNAs and two Senators.

“As a mandatory requirement under Section 42A of the Representation of the People Act 1976 and Section 25A of the Senate (Elections) Act 1975, all members of parliament and provincial assemblies are required to submit to the ECP annual statements of assets and liabilities of themselves, their spouse and dependants,” he said.

According to the ECP official, the commission had only received statements from 77 legislators from K-P, serving in the provincial assembly and in the parliament. However, the ECP has given a 15-day extension period and if the remaining lawmakers do not file their details by then, their membership would be suspended, he said.

“The commission will continue to accept statements till October 15. Those who fail to submit asset details by then would no longer have any practical role in legislation,” he stated.

Media Adviser and spokesperson for the CM Shiraz Paracha said Khattak will submit his statement of assets and liabilities to the ECP before October 15.

“The delay is not deliberate. The government is busy dealing with various challenges confronting K-P,” he insisted.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Israrullah Gandapur said he had already posted the required statement on Monday. “Earlier, the process used to be simpler. New changes have been made to the form which has complicated the process and made it difficult,” he said.

The minister shared this was the second time this year that he had submitted these documents, including income tax returns.

However, Minister for Local Government and Elections and Rural Development Inayatullah Khan said he had not yet filed the documents. He insisted he would do so within the next two days.

The K-P assembly lawmakers who have yet to submit their details include Adviser to CM on Relief Rehabilitation and Settlement Yaseen Khan Khalil, Minister for Transport Malik Qasim Khan Khattak, Minister for Prisons Arbab Akbar Hayat, Arif Yousaf, Arbab Jehandad Khan, Fazal Elahi, Javed Nasim, Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, Ziaullah Afridi, Syed Mohammad Ishtiaq, Muhammad Zahid Durani, Iftikhar Ali Mashwani, Khaliqur Rehman, Qurban Ali Khan, Fazal Shakur, Khalid Khan, Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Khan Bahadur, Muhammad Atif, Amid Ali Afridi, Ziaullah Bangash, Gul Sahib Khan, Malik Qasim Khan, Shah Faisal Khan, Mufti Sayed Janan, Sardar Muhammad Idrees, Yousaf Ayub Khan, Sardar Zahoor Khan, Wajihu Zaman Khan, Nawabzada Wali Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Usmanullah, Abdul Sattar Khan, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Javed Akbar Khan, Muhammad Khan, Anwar Hayat Khan, Maulana Mufti Fazal Ghafur, Fazal Hakeem, Muhammad Irshad Khan, Abdul Munim Khan, Inayatullah Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Aamna Sardar, Sobia Shahid and Nighat Orakzai.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2013.