Senators asked to submit assets details or face suspension

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked members of the Senate to submit their statements of assets and liabilities for the last fiscal year by January 15, ARY News reported.

In a press release, the commission urged members of the Upper House who have not yet submitted their statements to fulfill their legal obligation.

It stated that the membership of Senators not complying with this legal provision shall be suspended on the 16th of this month, in accordance with Section 173(3) of the Election Act 2017.

Similarly, the cases of former members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan, whose statements of assets and liabilities are not received by the 15th of this month, shall be placed before the commission for appropriate orders.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Election Commission of Pakistan earlier asked all members of parliament and provincial assemblies to submit their statements of assets and liabilities including those of their spouses and dependents by December 31.

According to the commission, all parliamentarians had to submit their yearly statements of assets and liabilities including similar details of their spouses and dependent children as on the preceding June 30 on Form B for the financial year 2022-2023.

The ECP had said that names of members will be published on the first day of January each year who fail to submit the requisite statement of assets and liabilities within the period specified under sub-section (1).