ISLAMABAD: In an attempt to prevent tax evaders, loan and utility bill defaulters and beneficiaries of written off loans from participating in the upcoming elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formed a committee in this regard, Dispatch News Desk (DND) reported on Wednesday.
In a meeting presided by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, it was decided that a committee comprising officials of ECP, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) would develop a mechanism to identify those who were tax evaders or bank defaulters. Such culprits would subsequently be disqualified from candidacy in the polls.
“In order to ensure free and fair elections, full cooperation would be provided to the election commission,” said the SBP governor and FBR chief in a press conference after the meeting.
They assured that tax and asset details of election candidates will be available to the ECP via online access.
NAB Director General Sher Afghan said that the records of all those investigated by NAB will be provided to the ECP.
Meanwhile, ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan told media that he had sought for 30 days for the scrutiny of election candidates but that Parliament had recommended 14 days instead. The verification will be completed in a timely manner, he said.
DND
