ISLAMABAD, December 12, 2012: Starting an hour and 16 minutes late, the third sitting of the 48th session unanimously passed the Pakistan Coinage (Amendment) Bill, 2011.
Another Bill – the Foreign Exchange Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2012 – was introduced and a Standing Committee report on the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Bill 2007 – was also presented before the House.
The entire sitting was chaired by the Deputy Speaker as the Speaker was not present. The Prime Minister and none of the parliamentary leaders of MQM, MMAP, ANP, NPP, BNPA, PPPS, PML, and PMLF attended the sitting.
The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for 41 minutes.
A motion under rule 259 to further discuss the law and order situation in the country was not taken up.
Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The National Assembly met for an hour and 35 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1816 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1700 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and 16 minutes.
- The Deputy Speaker chaired the entire sitting. The Speaker was not present.
- The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 41 minutes.
- None of the parliamentary leaders of MQM, MMAP, ANP, NPP, BNPA, PPPS, PML, and PMLF attended the sitting.
- Chief Whips of PPPP, PMLN and ANP were present whereas those of MQM, MMAP, NPP, BNPA, PPPS, PML, and PMLF were not present.
- As many as 101 members were present at the start while 105 were there at the adjournment of the sitting. A maximum of 168 members were present at one point of the sitting.
- Five minority members attended the sitting.
- Seven members applied for leave.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Nine of the 33 starred questions were taken up and responded. Additionally, 12 supplementary questions were also asked.
- Two Calling Attention Notices appearing on the Orders of the Day were taken up by the House. The notices were about telecasting foreign plays on Pakistani channels, and imposition of 5% road and maintenance tax by CDA on vehicles.
- A motion under rule 259 to further discuss the law and order situation in the country was not taken up.
Output
- The Pakistan Coinage (Amendment) Bill 2011 was unanimously passed.
- The Foreign Exchange Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2012 was introduced.
- A Standing Committee on Commerce’s report on the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Bill 2007 was presented in the house.
Order and Institutionalization
- Eight Points of Order consumed 15 minutes of the sitting time.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
- Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI); a member organization of FAFEN