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       ISLAMABAD: In a belated move, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared 24 former legislators ineligible to contest any election till submission of their statements of assets and liabilities for the year 2022-23.

       Ten of those affected belong to the National Assembly while seven each to the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies.

       The order, purportedly passed by the ECP on March 19 and placed on its website recently, reads: “The Honourable Commission vide Order dated 13-08-2024 has declared following ex-Members of previous National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies of Sindh & Balochistan ineligible, till submission of requisite Statement of Assets & Liabilities (Form-B) for financial year 2022-23 in compliance of section 137 of the Elections Act, 2017, to contest any General Election / Bye Election and Senate Election/by elections”.

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       The 10 former MNAs are: Khurram Dastgir Khan, Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha, Muhammad Adil, Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan, Kamaluddin, Asmatullah, Samina Matloob, Naseeba, Shamim Ara Panwar and Rubina Irfan.

       The disqualified ex-members of the Sindh Assembly are: Adeel Ahmed, Hizbullah Bhagio, Arsalan Taj Hussain, Arif Mustafa Jatoi, Imran Ali, Ali Ghulam and Ms Tahira.

       Likewise, former members of the Balochistan Assembly are: Mir Sikandar Ali, Mir Muhammad Akbar, Sardar Yar Rind, Abdul Rashid, Abdul Wahid Siddiqui, Mir Hamal and Bibi Shahina have been disqualified.

       ECP ‘disqualifies’ them over failure to file statements of assets, liabilities in 2022-23

       Section 137 of the Elections Act reads as under:

       (1) Every Member of an Assembly and Senate shall submit to the Commission, on or before 31st December 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 on Form B.

       (2) The Commission, on the first day of January each year through a press release, shall publish the names of Members who failed to submit the requisite statement of assets and liabilities within the period specified under sub-section (1).

       (3) The Commission 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 fifteenth day of January and such Member shall cease to function till he files the statement of assets and liabilities.

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       (4) Where a Member submits the statement of assets and liabilities under this section which is found to be false in material particulars, he may, within one hundred and twenty days from the date [of] submission of the statement, be proceeded against for committing the offence of corrupt practice.

       However, it still remains a legal question if the ECP has power to bar former lawmakers from contesting elections over their failure to submit their statements of assets in the past.

       Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2025