ISLAMABAD, March 13, 2017: The National Assembly on Monday addressed the entire agenda on the Orders of the Day amid suspension of proceedings for some time due to lack of quorum, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the proceedings during sixth sitting of the 40th session:
Members’ Participation
- The National Assembly met for three hours and 31 minutes.
- The proceedings remained suspended for 19 minutes due to lack of quorum.
- The sitting started at its scheduled time of 1600 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for 19 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
- The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) did not attend the sitting.
- The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for two hours and five minutes.
- Ten lawmakers (3%) were present at the outset and 72 (21%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, ANP, JI, APML, QWP-S, PML-Z, and BNP-A attended the sitting.
Output
- On behalf of the Chairman Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, a member presented the Committee’s Periodical Report for the period July- December, 2016
Representation and Responsiveness
- As many as 12 out of 34 Starred Questions were responded to by the relevant officials during the Question Hour. The lawmakers asked 16 Supplementary Questions, as well.
- The House took up two Calling Attention Notices regarding lack of facilities and staff at hospitals in rural areas of Islamabad and the salaries of Levies Force.
- Two lawmakers spoke on Motion of Thanks to the President, consuming two minutes of the proceedings.
Order and Institutionalization
- Lawmakers spoke on 31 Points of Order consuming an hour and 34 minutes of the sitting.
- The members belonging to PTI and PPPP walked out of the House at 1725 hours against the murder of PPPP worker in Lahore. They, however, returned at 1748 hours.
- A PML-N lawmaker protested for not being invited to the inauguration ceremony of Kuram Tangi Dam by wearing black ribbon on his arm and staged a walkout at 1851 hours. He did not return to the House till the adjournment of the sitting.
- A PPPP lawmaker pointed out quorum at 1727 hours that led to the suspension of the proceedings for 19 minutes.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- The 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.