Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Though the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has enormous powers, it seems it has no authority to take action against those members of parliament and provincial assemblies who are attending the sessions of legislative bodies despite being suspended over their failure to submit assets’ details.

Although written directives from the ECP have been conveyed to the speakers of the National Assembly as well as provincial assemblies regarding the suspension of lawmakers, they were not stopped from taking part in the proceedings of the elected houses.

At present, MNA Shehryar Afridi, 19 members of the provincial assembly from Sindh and three MPAs from Punjab have been suspended, as they did not inform the ECP about the details of their moveable/immoveable property and their wealth. However, they are not only sitting in their respective assemblies but also contributing to the legislation process.

When Daily Times contacted officials in the ECP, one of the sources said the constitution did not permit any suspended member to attend sessions or take part in any voting regarding lawmaking. He said that as soon as any lawmaker is suspended, the ECP informs the respective speaker and Senate chairman in black and white regarding the suspension, but they allow the member to come in the assemblies in violation of law.

Talking about the rules and regulations of the Election Commission of Pakistan, he said that the laws were silent regarding preventing the suspended lawmaker from taking part in the assembly sessions.

Requesting anonymity, an official working on a responsible post in the ECP told this scribe that the doors of the assembly should be closed on suspended parliamentarians until and unless they submitted their declaration of assets to the commission.

He suggested that the pay, allowances and other perks of suspended lawmakers should be stopped, which was the only way to ensure implementation of the relevant laws. He said that at present, the ECP was toothless regarding taking any stern action against suspended lawmakers.