ISLAMABAD, January 23, 2018: The National Assembly did not take up the private members’ business except one bill amid low attendance of lawmakers on Tuesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the proceedings during eighth sitting of the 51st session:
Members’ Participation
- The National Assembly met for two hours and 57 minutes while the proceeding remained suspended for 61 minutes due to lack of quorum.
- The sitting started at 1035 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for ten minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
- The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 45 (13%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 54 (16%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The Parliamentary Leaders of PkMAP, PPPP, BNP-A, APML, ANP, AJIP and QWP attended the sitting.
- Five minority members were present.
Output
- The lawmakers belonging to MQM introduced the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2018 in the House. The bill was referred to the relevant standing committee for further consideration.
- Chairman Standing Committee on Interior presented the reports of the committee on the Compulsory Solid Waste Management and Recycling Bill, 2017 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
- The House did not take up the Acid and Burn Crime Bill, 2017, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (section 489F) and the Federal Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
- The House did not take up three private members’ bills, four resolutions, fourteen reports of the standing committees and two motions to amend the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business unaddressed.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House deferred a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding unavailability of clean drinking water to residents of Islamabad while another CAN about inaccessibility of potable water to 80 percent population of country was not addressed.
- The House did not take up five Motions under Rule 259 for discussion on various matters of public importance.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers spoke on 19 Points of Order consuming 88 minutes of the proceedings.
- A PTI lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1045 hours which led to the suspension of the proceedings for an hour and one minute.
- The lawmakers belonging to PTI staged a five-minute protest against a ruling of the Chair to expunge a remark of a PTI lawmaker.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- Attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.
This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted.