ISLAMABAD, January 31, 2013: The 8th sitting of National Assembly’s 49th session was marked by low attendance as 56 members were present at the outset while only 14 were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 116 members were present at one point of sitting.
Three walkouts were observed in the sitting. MMAP members staged a 15-minute walkout over imposition of Governor Rule in Balochistan. An ANP lawmaker walked out over gas and power outages in district Kohat. MQM legislators walked out of the house over law and order situation and Interior Minister’s statement about Karachi and did not return to attend the proceedings.
All the agenda appearing on the Orders of the Day was taken up but a motion under rule 259 on law and order situation in the country. The National Counter Terrorism Authority Bill 2013 and the Defence Housing Authority Islamabad Bill 2013 were introduced, a Standing Committee report on the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2012 was presented, and two calling attention notices were taken up.
The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for an hour and 26 minutes while the remaining proceedings were presided over by a member of the Panel of Chairpersons. The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the parliamentary leaders of MQM, MMAP, ANP, PML, PMLF, and BNPA did not attend the sitting.
Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The National Assembly met for two hours and 37 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1150 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1100 hours, witnessing a delay of 50 minutes.
- The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for an hour and 26 minutes while the remaining proceedings were presided over by a member of the Panel of Chairpersons. The Speaker was not present.
- The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- Parliamentary leaders of only PPPS and NPP were present while those of MQM, MMAP, ANP, PML, PMLF, and BNPA did not attend the sitting.
- Chief whips of PPPP, PMLN, MMAP, and PML attended the sitting whereas those of MQM, ANP, and PMLF remained absent.
- A total of 56 members were present at the outset while 14 were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 116 members were present at one point of sitting.
- Nine minority members attended the sitting.
- One member applied for leave.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Out of 15 starred questions on the agenda, nine were taken up and responded to by the relevant minister. Additionally 19 supplementary questions were asked.
- Two calling attention notices appearing on the agenda were taken up. One was about more than 85 billion rupees increase in the loan of Pakistan Steel Mills and its lowest production capacity while the other was on increase in the power tariff by Rs1.30 per unit by NEPRA.
- A motion under rule 259 about law and order situation in the country was not taken up.
Output
- Two bills – the National Counter Terrorism Authority Bill 2013 and the Defence Housing Authority Islamabad Bill 2013 – were introduced.
- A report on the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2012 was presented by the Standing Committee on Interior.
Order and Institutionalization
- Sixteen points of order consumed 71 minutes of the sitting time.
- Three walkouts were observed in the sitting. MMAP members staged a 15-minute walkout over imposition of Governor Rule in Balochistan. An ANP lawmaker walked out over gas and power outages in district Kohat. MQM legislators walked out of the house over law and order situation and Interior Minister’s statement about Karachi and did not return to attend the proceedings.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day was available to legislators, observers and others.
- Information on members’ attendance was not available to observers and the public.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI); a member organization of FAFEN