The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to conduct legal proceedings against the 11 members of the Senate, national and provincial assemblies on account of making false declaration while filing nomination papers.
The 11 members who have been disqualified after the order of the apex court include Senator, Ch. Zahid Iqbal, MNA, Farah Naz Isfahani, MNA, Farhat Muhammad Khan, MNA, Muhammad Jamil Malik, MNA, Muhammad Akhlaq, MPA, Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Chohan, MPA, Waseem Qadir, MPA, Ch. Nadeem Khadim, MPA, Amna Buttar, MPA, Nadia Gabol, MPA and Dr Ahmed Ali Shah, MPA.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) met under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Fakharuddin G. Ibrahim to discuss and deliberate upon a number of issues relating to upcoming general elections as well as the September 29 order of apex court regarding dual citizenship.
The Commission observed it has been making extensive efforts to obtain information regarding dual nationality of parliamentarians for over two years from the ministries concerned.
After due deliberations, the Commission directed the issuance of schedule for holding bye-elections to fill the vacancies due to disqualification of 11-members of the national and provincial assemblies of the Punjab and Sindh.
The Commission further directed that a declaration be obtained from all the parliamentarians on the proforma, approved by it as to whether each one of them was citizen of Pakistan and had not obtained the citizenship of any foreign state/country at the time of filing his/her nomination papers nor he still has ceased to be Pakistani citizen or has obtained the citizenship of any foreign state/country.
The Commission also considered the issue of bringing on the electoral rolls, 2012 all the new CNIC holders and directed that the exercise of enrolling new CNIC holders in the electoral rolls should be initiated immediately and simultaneously an appeal be made to the general public as well as the political parties to avail this opportunity and help the Election Commission in the process of their registration as voters to ensure that all eligible persons are brought on the voters’ list before the announcement of schedule for ensuing general elections in the country.
About the issue of Senator Rehman Malik, the Election Commission Secretary said that the Senate Chairman would decide his fate and proceedings against him would be initiated after the decision of the Senate Chairman. However, he is still Senator and Federral Minister, he clarified.