ECP suspends membership of 156 MNAs, MPAs, senators: Here’s why
ECP Bars Suspended Members from Legislative Sessions, Warns of Legal Action
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken strict action against 156 public representatives, including members of the National and provincial assemblies and senators, who failed to submit their annual financial returns for the year 2023-24.
As a result, the ECP has suspended their memberships, making them ineligible to participate in any proceedings of the House until they fulfill the legal requirement of submitting their financial returns.
Among those suspended are 16 members of the National Assembly, including Akhtar Mengal and Kasim Gilani. The memberships of Tariq Bashir Cheema and two senators, Muhammad Qasim and Abdul Quddus, have also been revoked.
In the provincial assemblies, the ECP suspended 68 members from Punjab, 15 from Sindh, and 33 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Notably, MPA and Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman is among those affected.
The ECP has made it clear that suspended members are prohibited from attending legislative sessions or engaging in official activities until they submit their financial returns. The Commission also warned that any member found submitting false or incomplete information in their financial statements would face legal consequences.
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The ECP has officially informed the Chairman of the Senate and the Speakers of the National and provincial assemblies about the suspension of the memberships.
The submission of financial returns is a mandatory legal requirement aimed at ensuring transparency in the financial dealings of lawmakers. The suspended members are expected to file their returns promptly to restore their memberships and resume their legislative duties.
