ISLAMABAD, January 18, 2022: The National Assembly left 91 percent agenda unaddressed and was adjourned due to lack of quorum on Tuesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the proceedings during seventh sitting of the 40th session:
Members’ Participation
- The National Assembly met for two hours and 11 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 20 minutes due to prayer break.
- The sitting started at 04:37 pm against the scheduled time of 04:00 pm.
- The speaker chaired the sitting for 57 minutes while the remaining proceedings was presided over by a member of panel of chairpersons.
- The deputy speaker did not attend the sitting.
- The leaders of the house (Prime Minister) and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 41 (12 percent) lawmakers were present at the outset and 54 (16 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- Parliamentary leaders of PML-N and GDA attended the sitting.
- Four minority lawmakers were present.
Output
- The House witnessed introduction of six private members’ bills which were referred to the relevant committees. These bills were the Islamabad Water Conservation Bill, 2022; the Acid and Burn Crime Bill, 2022; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Amendment in Article- 24-A); the Indecent Advertisement Prohibition (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the ICT Tuberculosis (Notification) Bill, 2022 and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
- A PTI lawmaker moved the Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2021 but a motion for its passage was not taken up.
- The House did not take up other 37 private members’ bills, 34 reports of standing committees, five resolutions and two amendments in the rules of procedure and conduct of business in National Assembly, 2007.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Parliamentary Secretary for education responded to a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding lack of government soft conventional training skills in Islamabad.
- Parliamentary Secretary for industries and production responded another CAN regarding acute shortage of urea fertilizer in the country. However, the Chair summoned the relevant minister to answer it in next sitting.
- The House did not take up five motions under rule 259.
Order and Institutionalization
- Ten lawmakers spoke on points of order for 40 minutes.
- A lawmaker belonging to MQMP pointed out the quorum at 06:45 pm which was found incomplete upon counting and the House was adjourned to meet again on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 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