- Session Prorogued
ISLAMABAD, August 30, 2017: The Provincial Assembly passed the Balochistan Commission on the Status of Women Bill, 2017 and adopted three resolutions amid absence of the Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader on Wednesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Following are key observations of the proceedings during last (fourth) sitting of the 43rd session:
Members’ Participation
- The Balochistan Assembly met for four hours and 22 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1723 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
- The proceedings remained suspended for an hour due to prayer break.
- The Speaker presided over the entire proceedings.
- The Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition were absent.
- Twenty-one lawmakers (32%) were present at the outset and eight (12%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, MWM and ANP were present.
- One minority member attended the sitting.
- Nine members applied for leave.
Output
- Tabled by the Minister for Education, the House unanimously passed the Balochistan Commission on the Status of Women Bill, 2017.
- The House unanimously adopted a joint resolution urging the Federal government to provide gas to all districts of Balochistan. Four lawmakers debated the resolution consuming nine minutes of the proceedings.
- A supplementary resolution urging the Federal government to revise pay scale of civil services employees was adopted by the House. Four lawmakers express their views consuming 22 minutes of the proceedings.
- Another join resolution demanding the central government to complete the Kachhi Canal project on agreed terms was also adopted. Six lawmakers shared their views on it for 22 minutes.
- A report of the Finance Committee on the performance of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan was presented in the House. However, the Speaker referred the report to relevant standing committee after concerns of the members on it.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up one Starred Question for answer during the proceedings. The lawmakers asked three supplementary questions as well.
- The House disposed of two Call Attention Notices about delay in completion of electricity schemes by WAPDA and expenditure from Government Consolidate Fund while another notice about distribution formula for vacancies of Levies Force was deferred due to ministerial absence.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers spoke on two Points of Order consuming four minutes of the proceedings.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
- Attendance of members was not made public.
This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Balochistan Assembly proceedings conducted by Center for Peace and Development (CPD) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.