ISLAMABAD, June 01, 2021: The Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) adopted eight resolutions and was adjourned due to lack of quorum, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are the key observations of the House proceedings during the fifth sitting of the 18th session:
Members’ Participation
- The House met for three hours and six minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 30 minutes due to tea and prayer break.
- The sitting started at 03:20 pm against the scheduled time of 02:00 pm.
- The speaker presided over the proceedings for an hour and 54 minutes while the remaining sitting was chaired by the deputy speaker.
- The leader of the House (chief minister) was not present.
- The opposition leader attended the entire sitting.
- As many as 41 (28 percent) legislators were present at the start and 19 (13 percent) at the end of the sitting.
- Three out of four minority members were present.
- The parliamentary leaders of ANP, BAP and PML-N attended the sitting.
Output
- The House adopted eight supplementary resolutions which demanded to issue blue passport to the members of Provincial Assembly KP for lifetime, induct technical staff in Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), payment of power dues by the federal government to the provinces, declare Friday as weekly off instead of Sunday, construct proper building and provide staff at regional office of PESCO in Kubal tehsil of Swat district, ensure action through cyber wing of FIA against those involved in blasphemous acts, set up rest area at Burhan to Abbottabad motorway section and make an amendment in rules of business and procedures of KP assembly to give Siraiki the status of Parliamentary language.
- The House deferred two resolutions demanding publication of province wise statistics of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the light of recent census results and provision of basic facilities in schools of erstwhile FATA.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up two out of five starred questions while lawmakers asked one supplementary question as well.
- The House took up two calling attention notices regarding non-provision of financial assistance to elderly women in province under Ehsas program and damage caused to the farmers in Malakand division due to heavy rains. The Ministers for social welfare and mines and minerals responded the notices.
- The House deferred an adjournment motion (AM) due to mover’s absence. The AM was regarding closure of educational institutions in the province amid pandemic.
- The House deferred another AM due to absence of relevant minister which was regarding transparency issues of National Testing Service (NTS).
- The House deferred debates on Chashma right bank canal and upcoming budget.
Order and Institutionalization
- Two lawmakers spoke on points of order for five minutes related to traders’ issues in Bannu district.
- A BAP’s lawmaker pointed out quorum at 06:21 pm following which the Chair ordered the bells to be rung for four minutes. The quorum was found incomplete upon counting and the House was adjourned to meet again on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 02:00 pm.
Transparency
- ‘List of Business’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
- The attendance of lawmakers was not available to the observers and media.
This daily factsheet is based on the observation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly proceedings conducted by United Rural Development Organization (URDO) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions excepted