The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has warned of possible suspension after 446 lawmakers failed to submit their annual statements of assets and liabilities by the December 31 deadline.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the Commission said lawmakers who missed the deadline have been given time until January 15 to comply or be suspended.
Those who failed to file include 125 members of the National Assembly, 26 Senators, 159 members of the Punjab Assembly, 62 members of the Sindh Assembly, 48 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and 26 members of the Balochistan Assembly.
The Commission said the submission of asset and liability statements is a mandatory legal requirement. Lawmakers are required to declare their own assets as well as those of their spouses and dependent children.
The requirement falls under Section 137 of the Elections Act 2017, which obligates every member of parliament and provincial assemblies to submit their statements to the Commission by December 31 each year. The declaration covers assets and liabilities held up to June 30 of the preceding year.
The ECP directed all non-compliant lawmakers to submit their statements during office hours by January 15. It warned that those who fail to meet the deadline will be suspended the following day in line with Section 137 subsection 3 of the Act.
Last year, the Commission suspended the membership of 139 lawmakers for failing to submit their annual asset declarations. The suspended members were barred from attending proceedings of their respective legislatures.
Those suspended included two Senators, 16 members of the National Assembly, 68 members of the Punjab Assembly, 33 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 15 members of the Sindh Assembly, and five members of the Balochistan Assembly.
The Commission reiterated that the timely submission of asset declarations is essential for transparency and accountability in the democratic process.