ISLAMABAD, November 6, 2015: The National Assembly swears in four members who have won recent by-elections at the first sitting of its 25th Session, leaving the entire agenda on the Order of the Day unattended, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
The Acting Speaker administered oath to the newly elected lawmakers and announced the schedule for the election on the vacant seat of the Speaker. The nomination papers can be filed until 2:00pm on November 8, 2015 and the election will take place on November 9, 2015.
Following are some key observations of the House proceeding:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The National Assembly met for an hour and 35 minutes.
- The sitting started at 11:25am, an hour and 25 minutes later than its scheduled time, and ended at 12:30pm.
- The Acting Speaker presided over the entire.
- The Prime Minister was not present.
- The Leader of the Opposition attended the entire sitting.
- 168 MNAs (49%) were present at outset and 180 (53%) at end of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, JI, QWP-S and sole members of APML and AML were present.
- Six minority members were present.
Order and Institutionalization
- Three lawmakers spoke on four points of order consuming 32 minutes of the proceedings.
- The Acting Speaker announced the schedule for the election on the vacant seat of Speaker.
- The Acting Speaker gave ruling on the restoration of membership of lawmakers belonging to MQM after they withdrew their resignations.
- The House also offered prayers for various persons who died during the Mina Stampede and violence in the local government elections.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- The attendance of lawmakers was not available to observers and media.
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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