ISLAMABAD, January 22, 2014: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed two bills on Wednesday, including KP Widows and Special Persons Welfare Foundation Bill, 2014 and KP Higher Education Scholarship Endowment Fund Bill, 2014 during the 10th sitting of its 9th session, says Free and Fair Election Network in its Daily Factsheet.
Additionally, a PTI legislator introduced the KP Food Safety Authority Bill 2014 in the House.
The KP Assembly also adopted a resolution against the torturing of journalist by a policeman at the assembly’s premises and demanded of the government to look after the wounded media person, besides lodging an FIR against the cop.
Sponsored by ANP and JUI-F legislators, the House took up two calling attention notices (CANs) relating to non-distribution of Zakat funds and sacking of employees as well as fresh appointments in Municipal Committee, Bannu.
The opposition members staged a walkout for not giving a ruling or referring the matter of appointment in Municipal Committee Bannu to the relevant standing committee. They joined the proceedings only when the session was about to be prorogued sine die.
The audit report on the accounts of KP government for the year 2011-12 was laid before the House.
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:
- The KP Assembly met for two hours and 15 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1540 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours, witnessing a delay of 40 minutes.
- The Deputy Speaker chaired the entire sitting.
- The Chief Minister attended the proceedings for an hour and ten minutes while the Leader of the Opposition did not show up.
- The parliamentary leaders of QWP, PPPP and ANP attended the proceedings.
- Fifty-six members were present at the outset while 34 were there at the adjournment of the sitting.
- Three minority members attended the sitting.
- Four members applied for leave.
Output:
- Tabled by PTI legislators, the House passed two bills, including KP Widows and Special Persons Welfare Foundation Bill, 2014 and KP Higher Education Scholarship Endowment Fund Bill, 2104.
- Tabled by another PTI legislator, KP Food Safety Authority Bill 2014 was also introduced.
Representation and Responsiveness:
- Sponsored by ANP and JUI-F legislators, the House took up two calling attention notices (CANs) over non-distribution of Zakat funds and sacking of employees as well as fresh appointments in Municipal Committee, Bannu.
- All the 10 Starred Questions appearing on the agenda were taken up while seven were responded to by the relevant ministries. Additionally, members asked seven supplementary questions.
Order and Institutionalization:
- Single point of order (POs) consumed two minutes of the proceedings.
- The opposition members staged a walkout for 20 minutes.
Transparency:
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
- Information on members’ attendance was not available to observers and the public.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of KP Assembly proceedings conducted by PAIMAN, a member organization of FAFEN