ISLAMABAD, August 28, 2017: The Balochistan Assembly passed the Balochistan Mass Transit Authority Bill, 2017 and adopted a resolution for provision of natural gas to District Harnai, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) on Monday.
Following are key observations of the proceedings during third sitting of the 43rd session:
Members’ Participation
- The Balochistan Assembly met for two hours and 24 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1710 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the entire proceedings.
- The Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition were absent.
- Twenty-three lawmakers (35%) were present at the outset and eight (12%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP and ANP were present.
- Three minority members attended the sitting.
- Five members applied for leave.
Output
- Tabled by the Law Minister on behalf of Minister for Revenue, the House unanimously passed the Balochistan Mass Transit Authority Bill, 2017 as recommended by the standing committee.
- Moved by Minister for Education, the House unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Federal government for provision of natural gas to District Harnai. Eight lawmakers took part in the discussion consuming 46 minutes of the proceedings.
- Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Welfare presented report on the Balochistan Commission for Status of Women Bill, 2017. Earlier, the House granted extension in presentation period of the report on a motion moved by Committee’s Chairperson.
- The Law Minister presented a report of the Special Committee which was regarding increase in admission fee of the Balochistan University.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House deferred Question Hour due to absence of the relevant Minister.
- Sponsored by a PkMAP lawmaker, the House referred a Call Attention Notice (CAN) to the relevant Standing Committee due to ministerial absence. The notice was about delay in issuance of dynamite licenses to the mill owners for digging of chromite mines in Districts Pishin and Muslim Bagh.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers spoke on four Points of Order consuming 26 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.