Amendment to Election Act 138 Will Turn Public Representatives into Sacred Cows: Khurram Nawaz Gandapur

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Secretary General of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), has stated that under the guise of privacy, an amendment is being introduced to Election Act 138 to restrict and condition the Election Commission's authority to publish the annual asset declarations of public representatives and civil servants.

He warned that if this amendment is passed, the public will be deprived of their right to access information regarding the assets of elected members of parliament.

In his statement, he said that this proposed amendment contradicts the spirit of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution and undermines the constitutional right of access to information. He added that Election Act 138 currently requires members of parliament to submit their annual asset declarations and mandates the Election Commission to publish them.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur stated that the proposed amendment seeks to make this publication subject to the approval of the Speakers of the National and Provincial Assemblies and the Chairman of the Senate. This, he stressed, goes against transparency and accountability.

“If this amendment is passed,” he said, “public representatives will become untouchable sacred cows, and the horse of corruption will run unbridled.”

He emphasized that the public has a legitimate right to know the details of the assets held by their elected representatives