ISLAMABAD, January 16, 2018: The National Assembly on Tuesday witnessed the introduction of eleven private members’ bills which were referred to the relevant committees for further consideration, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during third sitting of 51st session:
Members’ Participation
- The National Assembly met for three hours and seven minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 36 minutes due to lack of quorum and for 21 minutes owing prayer break.
- The sitting started at 1621 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
- The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
- The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 55 (12%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 45 (13%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, APML, PML-Z, PPPP and ANP attended the sitting.
- Five minority members were present.
Output
- Eleven private members’ bills were introduced and referred to the relevant committees.
- These included the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment in Article 224); the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment in Article 198); the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Pakistan Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2017; the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment in Article 91).
- The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was withdrawn by its mover while the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was deferred on the request of the mover.
- The House did not consider the Acid and Burn Crime Bill, 2017; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (section 489F) and the Federal Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
- Chairman Standing Committee on Interior presented reports on the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2014 (insertion of section 389A); the Compulsory Sewage Water Management and Reprocessing Bill, 2017; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (insertion of section 364B) and the Compulsory Solid Waste Management and Recycling Bill, 2017.
- The reports on ten other legislative proposals could not be presented due to early adjournment of sitting over lack of quorum. These reports were regarding Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Employment of Children Bill, 2017; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the National Conflict of Interest Bill, 2016; the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 37); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 160); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (Amendment of Article 63); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 5 and the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 198).
- The House did not consider amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 proposed separately by a PPPP female lawmaker and a PML-N minority lawmaker.
- Five resolutions on the agenda were not taken up which were about demands to reduce the prices of petroleum products, provide legal aid facility to Pakistanis stuck in Saudi Arabia, ensure all civic facilities to the citizens living in the slum areas of Islamabad, alleviate poverty and provide jobs on the basis of merit only.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House did not take up five motions under Rule 259 which were about non-starting of a train from Havelian to Lahore, difficulties being faced by the Umrah pilgrims, performance of Federal Government Hospitals in Islamabad, Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) and Capital Development Authority (CDA).
- The House took up two Calling Attention Notices regarding non-construction of roads in Balochistan and termination of the services of employees of Habib Bank Limited.
Order and Institutionalization
- As many as six lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming 24 minutes.
- The Opposition lawmakers staged a walkout for 39 minutes against absence of Ministers from the House.
- A PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1640 hours which led the suspension of proceedings for 36 minutes.
- A PTI lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1926 hours, subsequently, headcount was made.
- The quorum was found incomplete and the Chair adjourned the House to meet again on Wednesday at 1030 hours.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- Attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.
This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted