ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday suspended the membership of 159 lawmakers for failing to submit their statements of assets and liabilities by the stipulated deadline.
The suspended members will cease to function as lawmakers with immediate effect until they file the required statements, the ECP said.
Senator Jam Saifullah Khan of the PPP, whose name appeared on the list of suspended lawmakers, however, attended the Senate session on Friday.
Those suspended include 32 members of the National Assembly, nine senators, 50 members of the Punjab Assembly, 33 members of the Sindh Assembly, 28 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly and seven members of the Balochistan Assembly.
JI, BNP-M chiefs, federal and Sindh ministers, sons of Senate chairman among those proceeded against
Although the last date for the submission of statements of assets and liabilities of lawmakers, their spouses and dependent children is Dec 31, under a law amended in 2017, a notification for the suspension of members who fail to submit these statements by Jan 15 is to be issued on Jan 16.
On Thursday, the ECP had reminded lawmakers to submit details of their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses and dependent children, for the financial year 2024–25, warning that failure to do so by Jan 15 would result in suspension.
Among the 32 suspended members of the NA are Syed Ali Musa Gilani and Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani, the sons of incumbent Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, as well as MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
The name of Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-M), who had announced his resignation from the National Assembly in September 2024, also appears on the list.
Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik, PML-N leader and former minister Abid Sher Ali, former federal minister and PTI leader Murad Saeed, and a former federal minister for religious affairs and interfaith harmony are among the nine senators whose memberships have also been suspended by the ECP.
From the Sindh Assembly, Minister Saeed Ghani, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and ex-CM Qaim Ali Shah are among those suspended.
The submission of annual statements of assets is a mandatory requirement under Section 137 of the Elections Act, 2017.Section 137(1) of the Elections Act, 2017 stipulates “every member of an assembly and the Senate shall submit to the Commission, on or before December 31 each year, a copy of his statement of assets and liabilities, including assets and liabilities of his spouse and dependent children, as on the preceding thirtieth day of June on Form B”.
Last year, the ECP suspended the membership of 139 lawmakers for failing to submit their annual statements of assets.
Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2026
