ISLAMABAD, March 5, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of the Punjab rejected four private members’ resolutions on matters of public importance while adopted the one recommending to engrave Kalma Tayyaba on Assembly’s entrance, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Tuesday.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 10th sitting of the seventh session:
Members’ Participation
- The House met for an hour and 40 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1238 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
- The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting in the absence of the Speaker.
- The Leaders of the House and Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 35 MPAs (9%) were present at the outset and 50 (13%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leader of PPPP attended the proceedings.
- As many as four out of eight minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Output
- Moved by a PML-N lawmaker, the House unanimously adopted a resolution recommending to inscribe Kalma Tayyaba on entrance door of the Punjab Assembly Secretariat.
- The House rejected four private members’ resolutions which sought to recommend the government to withdraw toll taxes in Faisalabad, withdraw the decision to receive NEPRA bank loans from electricity consumers, waive off excise duty on oxo biodegradable shopping bags, and ensure cellular coverage across the country. These Resolutions were moved by the lawmakers belonging to PML-N and PTI.
- As many as 12 private member’s resolutions appearing on the agenda were deferred due to absence of the relevant ministers or movers.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The Ministers for Labour & Human Resource and Social Welfare & Bait ul Mal responded to four out of five Starred Questions appearing on the agenda while remaining question was disposed of due to absence of the mover. The lawmakers asked 10 supplementary questions as well.
- The House deferred two Adjournment Motions (AMs) due to unpreparedness of the ministers to respond to these motions. These two AMs sought discussion on the issues concerning the departments of Food and Livestock & Dairy Development.
- The Minister for Law responded to a Zero Hour Notice raised by a PTI lawmaker regarding activating the Apex Committees in the province.
Order and Institutionalization
- As many as 26 lawmakers spoke on Point of Orders for 32 minutes.
- The opposition lawmakers staged a four-minute walkout against Minister for Information’s derogatory remarks on media against Hindu Community.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on March 06, 2019 (Wednesday) at 1100 hours.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available on Punjab Assembly’s website.
- 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.