ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken action against 32 members of the National Assembly (NA) by suspending their memberships due to their failure to submit mandatory asset declarations. This announcement was formally conveyed in the National Assembly session by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
During the session, Speaker Sadiq read the suspension order issued by the ECP and instructed any suspended members present in the House to leave immediately. He emphasized that the affected lawmakers’ memberships would only be reinstated upon submission of their overdue asset declarations.
Prominent figures among those suspended
The list released by the ECP includes several high-profile lawmakers. Among them are Federal Ministers Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Musadik Malik, alongside prominent members such as Ali Musa Gilani, Abdul Qadir Gilani, Akhtar Mengal, and Mehreen Razak Bhutto.
Impact on female lawmakers
The suspension also affects five female National Assembly members, including Saira Afzal Tarar and Mehreen Razak Bhutto. The ECP underlined that the action applies uniformly to all legislators who failed to meet the legal obligation of filing their declarations.
In total, 159 lawmakers from the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies have been suspended for not submitting their asset declarations for the financial year 2024–25.
Provincial assemblies and Senate breakdown as per ECP:
- 50 members from the Punjab Assembly face suspension
- 33 members from the Sindh Assembly have been suspended.
- 28 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly are impacted.
- 7 members of the Balochistan Assembly are included.
- 9 senators, including Abid Sher Ali, Murad Saeed, and Noorul Haq Qadri, are also suspended.
Restrictions and restoration process
The ECP made it clear that all suspended legislators are barred from entering their respective assemblies or participating in legislative proceedings until their asset declarations are submitted. Officials assured that once the required documentation is filed, memberships will be promptly restored.
