The commission authorities did not share the names of the 22 MPAs who still have to submit their assets and liabilities. PHOTO: ECP.GOV.PK
Twenty-two lawmakers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have failed to submit their asset and liability statements to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The extended deadline set by the ECP expired on October 15.
Initially, the ECP had asked lawmakers to submit their statements by September 30, said a senior ECP official, requesting anonymity. On October 1, a list of 47 MPAs indicated they had still not come forward to declare their assets.
After a 15-day extension, 22 out of 124 provincial assembly lawmakers still failed to submit their documents which “will create problems for them, not us,” added the ECP official.
Under Section 42A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, all members of parliament and provincial assemblies are required to submit annual statements of assets and liabilities to the election commission. This includes those held by their spouses and dependants, explained the official. Asset details include property documents, bank accounts and salary slips. However, the ECP will take punitive action and the MPAs “who have failed to submit the details in time will no longer have any practical role in legislation,” said another member of the ECP. In all probability, their membership will be suspended after a meeting on Monday, he shared.
According to Minister for Information Shah Farman, the ECP is legally an independent body and the onus lay on the MPAs to submit their asset and liability statements before the deadline.
“The ECP has legal rights to take action against those lawmakers who didn’t submit their statements,” commented Farman.
The minister added he was unaware of what action the ECP will decide to take against the lawmakers. He reiterated it was the responsibility of the lawmakers to hand in the required documents in time.
The list of 47 lawmakers who failed to meet the September 30 deadline was shared by an ECP official with The Express Tribune. However, the commission authorities did not share the names of the 22 MPAs who still have to submit their assets and liabilities.
Lawmakers who missed September 30 cut-off date
The list includes Adviser to CM on Relief Rehabilitation and Settlement Yaseen Khan Khalil, Minister for Transport Malik Qasim Khan Khattak, Minister for Prisons Arbab Akber Hayat, lawmakers Arif Yousuf, Arbab Jehandad Khan, Fazal Elahi, Javed Nasim, Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, Ziaullah Afridi, Syed Mohammad Ishtiaq, Muhammad Zahid Durrani, Iftikhar Ali Mushwani, Khaliqur Rehman, Qurban Ali Khan, Fazal Shakor Khan, Khalid Khan, Mohammad Arif, Ahmed Khan Bahadur, Muhammad Atif, Amid Ali Afridi, Ziaullah Khan Bangash, Gul Sahib Khan, Malik Qasim Khan, Shah Faisal Khan, Mufti Said Janan, Muhammad Idrees, Yousaf Ayub Khan, Sardar Zahoor Ahmed, Wajehuz Zaman Khan, Nawabzada Wali Mohammad Khan, Muhammad Usmanullah, Abdul Sattar, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Javed Akbar Khan, Muhammad Khan, Anwar Hayat Khan, Mulana Mufti Fazal Ghafoor, Fazal Hakim, Muhammad Irshad Khan, Abdul Munim, Inayatullah Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Aamna Sardar, Sobia Shahid and Nighat Orakzai.
Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and the late Israrullah Gandapur are also said to be part of the list, though it is said they are part of the 25 who met the last deadline.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2013.
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You would think the PTI supporters would be upset that their leaders won't disclose their assets - another pre election IK promise bites the dust.