Islamabad :Pakistan's election body on Monday temporarily suspended the membership of around 150 federal and provincial lawmakers, including Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, over their failure to submit details of their assets and liabilities.
Last year, at least 154 members were suspended by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) but all of them later on submitted tax details and their membership was restored.
The ECP's move came after the elected representatives violated the mandatory filing of assets and liabilities by the end of each year.
According to a notification, “every member of an assembly and Senate shall submit to the ECP, on or before December 31 each year, a copy of his statement of assets and liabilities including assets and liabilities of his spouse and dependent children as on the preceding thirtieth day of June”.
The law provides that the ECP shall, on the sixteenth day of January, by an order suspend the membership of a member of an assembly and Senate who fails to submit the statement of assets and liabilities by the 15th day of January and such “member shall cease to function till he files the statement of assets and liabilities”.
Those suspended cannot participate in parliamentary proceedings and their membership will remain suspended until they submit their respective statements, according to the ECP