Lawmakers Allowed to Keep Asset Details Secret for One Year

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill that allows members of the National Assembly and the Senate to keep details of their assets confidential for up to one year on security grounds.

Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Shazia Marri tabled the bill, which amends the Elections Act 2017. Under the revised law, a lawmaker may seek confidentiality for their own assets or those of their family if they face a credible security threat.

If the National Assembly speaker or the Senate chairman approves the request, the Election Commission of Pakistan will keep the asset details confidential for a period of up to one year.

The bill also transfers certain powers under election laws from the Supreme Court to the Federal Constitutional Court. It authorizes the Federal Constitutional Court to handle appeals, interpret election laws, and decide electoral disputes.

As part of the amendments, lawmakers replaced the word “Supreme” with “Federal Constitutional Court” in Section 155 of the Elections Act. They also amended Sections 202, 212, and 232 to include the Federal Constitutional Court.

According to the bill, the amendments clearly define the role of the Federal Constitutional Court across relevant legal provisions. The legislation states that the changes aim to ensure transparency while safeguarding fundamental rights.