ISLAMABAD, June 1, 2017: The President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain addressed both Houses of the Parliament assembled together on beginning of the fifth and parliamentary year of the National Assembly amidst opposition’s protest against the government on Thursday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
The Article 56 (3) of the Constitution requires the President to address the Parliament at the commencement of first session of each parliamentary year. It was fourth address of the President Hussain to the current Parliament and it continued for 27 minutes after which the Joint Sitting was prorogued.
Following are some key observations of the House proceeding:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Parliament met for 38 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1147 hours against the scheduled time 1100 hours.
- The Speaker of the National Assembly presided over the entire sitting while the Chairman of the Senate and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly were also present.
- The Prime Minister and the Leader of the House in the Senate attended the entire sitting.
- The Leaders of the Opposition in the Senate and the National Assembly attended the sitting for 20 minutes.
- 334 Parliamentarians (75%) were present at the outset and 239 (54%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- Eight out of ten Minority Members of the National Assembly and three out of four Minority Senators attended the sitting.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers belonging to opposition parties in the Senate and the National Assembly staged an in-House protest for ten minutes raising slogans against the government and the Prime Minister. Later, the protesting lawmakers walked out from the proceedings at 1207 hours and did not return to the House.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Parliament’s proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted.