ISLAMABAD, September 27, 2021: The National Assembly did not take up any agenda item on Monday except question hour due to lack of quorum, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the proceedings during 6th sitting of the 36th session:
Members’ Participation
- The National Assembly met for an hour and 22 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 37 minutes due to prayer break.
- The sitting started at 05:27 pm against the scheduled time of 05:00 pm.
- The speaker presided over the sitting for 40 minutes while the remaining sitting was chaired by a member of panel of chairpersons.
- The deputy speaker was not present.
- The leaders of the house (Prime Minister) and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 55 (16 percent) lawmakers were present at the outset and 45 (13 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- Five minority lawmakers were present.
Output
- The House did not consider six government bills including the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Higher Education Commission (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Evacuee Trust Properties (Management and Disposal) (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill, 2021.
- Two Ordinances including the Federal Government Properties Management Authority Ordinance, 2021 and the Elections (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 were not laid.
- The House did not take up three reports of standing committees and four statutory reports.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up eight out 36 starred questions. In addition, lawmakers asked 10 supplementary questions.
- The House did not take up two calling attention notices, a motion of thanks to President for his address to parliament on September 13, 2021.
Order and Institutionalization
- A lawmaker belonging to PPPP pointed out the quorum at 06:45 pm which was found incomplete upon counting. It was the fourth consecutive sitting which faced quorum issue and was adjourned.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 04:00 pm.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to legislators, observers and public.
- Attendance of lawmakers was available to 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