On January 16, 2026, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suspended the membership of 159 lawmakers across the country for failing to submit their annual statements of assets and liabilities. The decision, mandated under Section 137 of the Elections Act 2017, affects nearly 13% of the total 1,181 legislators in the national and provincial assemblies. These members are now barred from performing their legislative duties, including attending sessions or participating in voting, until they comply with the mandatory filing requirement.
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The list of suspended members includes high-profile figures such as Federal Minister for Education Musadik Malik, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and former Balochistan Chief Minister Akhtar Mengal. The breakdown of suspensions shows 32 members from the National Assembly, nine from the Senate, and 118 from provincial assemblies. Punjab saw the highest provincial impact with 50 MPAs suspended, followed by 33 from Sindh, 28 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and seven from Balochistan.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has suspended the membership of 159 lawmakers for failing to submit their financial statements, enforcing accountability under electoral laws.
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The ECP had previously issued a final warning on January 15, noting that the original deadline of December 31 had passed with hundreds of members still in non-compliance. While many lawmakers rushed to file in the first two weeks of the year, the 159 individuals named today remained delinquent. Lawmakers can have their memberships restored immediately upon filing the required documents with the commission, but until then, their seats remain effectively vacant during a critical period of legislative business.
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