On Tuesday, a significant writ petition was submitted to the Lahore High Court, urging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take action against all members of national and provincial assemblies who have failed to disclose details of gifts received in their statements of assets and liabilities. The petitioner, Tanveer Sarwar, through advocate Nadeem Sarwar, emphasized the need for uniform action across the board, seeking to ensure fairness and equality before the law.
The petitioner urged the electoral watchdog to act in the national and public interest by initiating references against lawmakers who may have concealed gifts received while in office. This call for uniform action aims to avoid any selective prosecution based on personal preferences, stressing the importance of impartiality and justice in line with the ECP’s constitutional mandate.
The federal government and the ECP, represented by the chief election commissioner, have been named as respondents in the case. The petition raises concerns about fairness and equality before the law, particularly highlighting the recent case of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to disclose Toshakhana gifts in his assets and liability form, filed by the ECP.
The petitioner argued that the selective prosecution of Imran Khan while overlooking other members of national and provincial assemblies who retained gifts in their statements of assets and liabilities raised questions about fairness and equality in the legal system. Notable political figures, including Asif Zardari, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, and other ministers and former prime ministers, were mentioned in the petition for not disclosing Toshakhana gifts details in their asset declarations without facing any liability or criminal prosecution.
The application emphasized that the ECP, as the electoral watchdog, is legally obligated to treat all lawmakers equally and take appropriate action against any non-disclosures of gifts in the statement of assets and liabilities. The petitioner contended that the ECP’s decision to not take action against these prominent political figures indicated partiality and bias, asserting that the watchdog had failed to carry out its duties adequately.
The writ petition seeks to uphold the integrity and transparency of the political process by holding all lawmakers accountable for accurately disclosing their assets and liabilities, including any gifts received while in office. By urging the Lahore High Court to review the matter, the petitioner aims to ensure that the ECP remains impartial, fair, and just in its actions, safeguarding the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
The application further highlighted that a previous attempt to address this issue through an application had yielded no result, underscoring the importance of the current writ petition in seeking a fair and consistent approach to addressing non-disclosures of gifts among lawmakers.
As the Lahore High Court reviews the writ petition, the nation awaits the court’s decision on this crucial matter that has implications for transparency and accountability in the political sphere.