Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suspended the membership of 159 legislators, including two federal ministers, for failing to submit their annual statement of assets and liabilities by the January 15, 2026 deadline, as mandated by Section 137 of the Elections Act 2017. This suspension affects nearly 13 percent of the country’s lawmakers.
According to Free and Fair Election Network, the suspended members come from a total membership of 1,181 lawmakers across Parliament and the four provincial assemblies. The suspension includes 50 members from Punjab, 33 from Sindh, 32 from the National Assembly, 28 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine Senators, and seven from Balochistan. The legislators represent ten political parties, including 55 from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and 41 from Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), among others.
The suspension also affects two cabinet members: the Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training and the Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination. The legal status of their cabinet roles and the validity of decisions made during the suspension period remain uncertain.