ISLAMABAD, October 16, 2012: Starting 50 minutes late, the fifth sitting of the ongoing 47th session witness low attendance of Members as only 50 were present at the outset while 65 were there at the adjournment.
Additionally, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and all the parliamentary leaders did not attend the sitting.
The House did not take up two calling attention notices and a motion under rule 259 regarding law and order in the country.
Eleven out of 20 questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded to by the relevant ministries. Additionally, 18 Supplementary Questions were also asked.
Five Points of Order consumed 15 minutes of the sitting time.
Members’ participation in House proceedings
- The National Assembly met for an hour and 15 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1120 hours instead of the scheduled starting time of 1030 hours. The proceedings started 50 minutes late.
- A Member of Panel of Chairpersons chaired the sitting while the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker did not attend the sitting.
- The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- None of the parliamentary leader was present during the sitting.
- The Chief Whips of PPPP, MMAP and ANP were present.
- Fifty (13%) Members were present at the outset while there were 65 (19%) at the end of the sitting. A maximum of 96 Members were present at one point of the sitting.
- Three Minority Members attended the sitting.
- Eleven Members applied for leave.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Two calling attention notices – fixing king size hoardings and bill boards in Islamabad affecting its beauty and environment and non-revalidation/release of funds for PWP-I and surrendered funds for PWP-II for the year 2010-2011 despite approval of development schemes by the Cabinet Division, were not taken up.
- Eleven out of 20 questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded to by the relevant ministries. Additionally, 18 Supplementary Questions were also asked.
- The House did not take up the Motion under Rule 259 about law and order in the country for further discussion.
Output
- The Equity Participation Fund (Repeal) Bill 2012 was introduced and sent to the relevant standing committee.
- The Annual report of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), certified by the auditors for the financial year ended on the 30th June, 2011 together with the statement of accounts certified by the auditors and the auditors’ report was presented in the House.
Order and institutionalization
- Five Points of Order consumed 15 minutes of the sitting time.
- There were no instances of protests, boycotts or walkouts.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
- Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a Member organization of FAFEN.