ISLAMABAD, July 2, 2013: Starting an hour and 14 minutes late, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly adopted four resolutions during the 12th sitting of the second session on Tuesday.
Two resolutions were moved by male and female JUIF legislators each. The first resolution adopted by the house was about setting up branches of National Bank in district Torghar and the other called upon the federal government to ban transmission of unethical and un-Islamic content on television channels.
Similarly, a PTI lawmaker moved a resolution to empower the Speaker to form Standing Committees and a joint resolution recommended increasing the approved fund for the construction of Lowari Tunnel from Rs one billion to Rs four billion a year.
During the 11th sitting, the house also had adopted four resolutions.
The Speaker chaired the sitting. The Chief Minister attended the sitting for 16 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was not present.
The relevant ministries responded to five of the seven starred questions taken up by the house. Additionally, members asked six supplementary questions.
Following are some key observations of the proceedings:
Members Participation in House Proceedings
- The KP Assembly met for two hours and 22 minutes. The house took a break of an hour and 16 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1714 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1600 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and 14 minutes.
- The Speaker chaired the sitting while the Deputy Speaker was present.
- As many as 44 members were present at the outset of the sitting while 72 – a maximum – were there at the time of adjournment.
- The parliamentary leaders of JI, and PPPP were absent.
- The Chief Minister attended the procedings for 16 minutes whereas the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- The relevant Ministers for the Question Hour were present.
- Three minority members attended the sitting.
- Three members applied for leave.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Seven starred questions on the agenda were taken up, five received response from the relevant ministries. Additionally, MPAs asked six supplementary questions.
- The house took up two calling attention notices on the poor condition of Thaimathgara Road which joins Dir and Chitral and the issuance of Zakat to undeserving people as identified by the previous government. The first notice was moved by a JI MPA and the second by a QWP lawmaker.
Output
- The house adopted four resolutions. Two resolutions were moved by male and female JJUIF legislators each. The first resolution adopted by the house was about setting up branches of National Bank in district Torghar and the other called upon the federal government to ban transmission of unethical and un-Islamic content on television channels. Similarly, a PTI lawmaker moved a resolution to empower the Speaker to form Standing Committees and a joint resolution recommended increasing the approved fund for the construction of Lowari Tunnel from Rs one billion to Rs four billion a year.
Order and Institutionalization
- No points of orders were raised during the sitting.
- No protests/walkouts were documented during the proceedings.
Transparency
- The List of Business (agenda) was available to the legislators, observers and others.
- Information of members’ attendance was available to the observers and the public.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of KP Assembly proceedings conducted by PAIMAN a member organization of FAFEN