ISLAMABAD, September 12, 2017: The Punjab Assembly was adjourned on Tuesday due to lack of quorum without addressing the Private Members’ business appearing on the Orders of the Day, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Following are some key observations of the House proceedings during second sitting of 31st session:
Members’ Participation
- The Punjab Assembly met for two hours and 15 minutes of which the proceedings remained suspended for 25 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1112 hours against the scheduled time 1000 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Speaker was not present.
- The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
- The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for an hour and 40 minutes.
- As many as seven MPAs (2%) were present at outset and 40 (11%) at adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PTI, PPPP, JI and PML-Z attended the sitting.
- Four minority lawmakers were present.
Output
- The House did not take up the Private Members’ resolutions appearing on the Orders of the Day.
- The House granted two-month extension to the Standing Committees on Health, Finance, Agriculture, Environment Protection, Services & General Administration, Cooperatives and Transport for presentation of their reports.
Representation and Responsiveness
- As many as six out of 17 Starred Questions were taken up for answers during the proceedings. Moreover, nine questions were disposed of due to absence of the movers and two were deferred. The lawmakers also asked 18 supplementary questions.
- The House deferred four Adjournment Motions due to delay in replies from the government.
- The House referred a PPPP lawmaker’s Privilege Motion to the relevant committee.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmaker spoke on 10 Points of Order consuming 12 minutes of the proceedings.
- The opposition lawmakers protested on floor of the House for six minutes demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister Punjab in wake of the court verdict against relocation of Sharif family’s sugar mills.
- A PTI lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1255 hours which led to the suspension of the proceedings for 25 minutes. However, the quorum was not completed on resumption of the proceedings and the sitting was adjourned.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- Information on Members’ attendance is available on Punjab Assembly’s website.
The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are regretted.