Nine legislators yet to declare assets

Lawmakers from 4 provincial assemblies yet to file details of their assets with the Election Commission of Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: Almost a month after the expiry date, nine lawmakers belonging to four provincial assemblies are yet to file details of their assets with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) – a mandatory legal requirement they have to fulfil annually.

The last date for filing the annual statements of assets and liabilities for legislators expired on September 30, and the ECP suspended the membership of those who failed to submit their assets’ declarations on October 18.

Of the 140 legislators whose membership was suspended, 131 later filed their statements; nine still have to fulfil the requirement, of them five are from the Punjab Assembly.

Under the election laws, the term “suspension of membership” is a cosmetic step as those whose memberships are suspended continue to enjoy the perks and privileges regardless.

Whenever a member files the statement which is not even verified later, the commission de-notifies her/his name from the list of suspended members without any punitive action.

According to ECP sources, the MPAs who have not filed their statements of assets so far include Malik Shamsher Haider Watto, Mian Ajmal Asif, Dr Ashraf Chohan,  Dr  Saeed Elahi and Sardar Meer Badhsha Khan Qaisrani from the Punjab Assembly; Sindh Assembly member Rukhsana Parveen, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly member Naseer Muhammad Maidad Khel and Balochistan Assembly members Abdul Khaliq and Jaffer George.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2010.