LAHORE, Oct 9: Both the leaders of the House and of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly failed to submit their declarations regarding nationality as the Election Commission of Pakistan extended the last date for the document’s submission by 30 days, from Oct 9 to Nov 8.

Leader of the House, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, is presently abroad while of the Opposition, Raja Riaz, is reportedly in Islamabad to seek audience with President Asif Ali Zardari.

Meanwhile, 243 Punjab Assembly members submitted their declarations by Tuesday evening.

An MPA, Dr Faiza Asghar, followed in the footsteps of two of her colleagues -- Dr Tahir Ali Javed and Jamil Ashraf -- by resigning from her seat to avoid disqualification for violating the Constitution by contesting elections in 2008 despite having dual nationality.

Former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi’s son Moonis and PPP’s parliamentary leader Maj Zulfiqar Gondal (retired) and deputy leader Shaukat Basra also did not file their declarations.

The ECP, on a Supreme Court direction, had asked all members of Senate, National and provincial assemblies on Sept 24 to submit declarations on oath that they were not disqualified under Article 62 (1) (c) of the Constitution. (The sub-article of the basic law bars public representatives from holding dual nationality.)

A reminder was sent by the ECP on Oct 2 as secretaries of Senate and National Assembly refused to comply with the directions.

The parliamentarians are required to sign the declaration on oath in the presence of the secretary of the relevant house, who is required to dispatch the same to the ECP.