ISLAMABAD, April 12, 2016: The National Assembly did not take up 60% of private members’ agenda on Tuesday during third sitting of 31st session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Following are some key observations of the House proceeding:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The National Assembly met for three hours.
- The sitting started at 1035 hours against its scheduled time of 1030 hours.
- The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting as the Speaker was not present.
- The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
- The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for 78 minutes.
- Seven Federal Ministers were present.
- 36 MNAs (10%) were present at outset and 39 (11%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, ANP, JI, QWP-S, PML, PML-F, PML-Z, APML and AMLP were present.
- Seven minority members were present.
Output
- The House witnessed the introduction of the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (Amendment of Article 51), the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Supreme Court (Number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The bills were referred to the relevant standing committees for further deliberations.
- The House did not take up two motions of amendments to the National Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and five resolutions.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The government responded to two Calling Attention Notices regarding withdrawing tax free zone facilities from Division Malakand and District Kohistan and heavy rainfall, flash floods and land sliding in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- The House did not take up five motions under Rule 259 and a motion under Rule 244(B).
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers spoke on 37 points of order consuming 80 minutes of the proceeding.
- Entire Opposition except MQM staged token walkout for four minute against the federal government for withdrawing tax free zone facilities from Division Malakand and District Kohistan. A lawmaker belonging to PML-N also staged walkout on the same issue but against the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- The attendance of lawmakers was available to observers and media.
This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted