The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a stern warning to lawmakers, stating that those who fail to submit their wealth statements by midnight on January 15, 2026, will face immediate suspension of their legislative memberships starting January 16, 2026.
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This enforcement comes under Section 137 of the Elections Act, 2017, which mandates parliamentarians and provincial assembly members to declare their assets and liabilities annually, including those of their spouses and dependent children, for the previous financial year (2024-25 in this case). The original deadline was December 31, 2025, but the ECP extended a final opportunity until midnight on January 15 after publishing a list of 446 defaulters on January 1, 2026.
Non-compliance results in suspension until the statements are filed, aiming to promote transparency and accountability among elected representatives.
High-Profile Defaulters and Scale of Non-Compliance
Among the 446 lawmakers initially listed as defaulters were prominent figures, including nearly a dozen members of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s federal cabinet—six federal ministers: Awais Leghari, Musadik Malik, Atta Tarar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Amir Muqam, and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
The breakdown included 125 from the National Assembly, 159 from the Punjab Assembly, 62 from the Sindh Assembly, 48 from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and 26 each from the Senate and Balochistan Assembly.
Provincial cabinet members such as Saeed Ghani and Sharjeel Memon (Sindh), Shafi Ullah Jan (KP), and Abdul Rehman Khetran (Balochistan) were also named.
The ECP’s Political Finance Wing remained open until the midnight deadline to receive submissions, emphasizing that suspensions would be automatic under the law.
Legal Framework and Implications for Transparency
Section 137(1) requires submission by December 31 each year, while Section 137(2) obligates the ECP to publish defaulters’ names on January 1.
Section 137(3) explicitly states that the Commission shall suspend memberships on January 16 for non-submission by January 15, with affected members ceasing to function until compliance.
This annual process underscores Pakistan’s efforts to curb unexplained wealth and ensure public trust in elected officials. Past instances have seen suspensions, such as in previous years when dozens of lawmakers faced temporary debarment.
The ECP’s firm stance reinforces accountability, though critics argue enforcement should extend beyond mere filing to scrutinizing the declarations themselves for accuracy and legitimacy.
As of the announcement on January 15, 2026, lawmakers had one last chance to avoid disruption to legislative duties.