Balochistan PA Adopts Four Resolutions, Passes One Bill

• Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, November 21, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Balochistan adopted four Private Members’ resolutions and passed one government bill on Thursday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during fourth (last) sitting of the 17^th session:

 Members’ Participation

• The House met for four hours and three minutes, however, the proceedings remained suspended for 32 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1635 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire proceedings in the absence of Speaker.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the entire sitting.
• As many as 12 MPAs (18%) were present at the outset and eight (12%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of ANP, PTI, PkMAP, BNP-A, BNP-M and MMAP attended the proceedings.
• All three minority lawmakers attended the proceedings.

Output

• The House adopted four resolutions to constitute High Court Circuit Bench in Kharan Division, take steps to check road accidents on National Highways, set up medical college for Rakhshan and Naseerabad divisions and abolish the buildings constructed illegally in Samagli.
• Moved by a BAP lawmaker, the House passed the Balochistan Chief Minister and Provincial Ministers (Salaries, Allowances, and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 following presentation of Standing Committee’s report on it.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up 12 out of 17 starred questions while the lawmakers asked 14 supplementary questions as well.
• The House took up two Call Attention Notices to highlight importance of Rekodiq due to natural reservoirs there and award of a development project to a banned construction company.
• The House debated an Adjournment Motion about low pressure of gas in Quetta. As many as nine lawmakers spoke on it for 20 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• Five lawmakers spoke on Points of Order for 16 minutes.
• The Session was prorogued sine die.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Attendance of the lawmakers was not available to the observers and media.

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