ISLAMABAD, November 26, 2019: The Punjab Assembly deferred six private members’ resolutions on Tuesday due to absence of relevant ministers, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during the seventh sitting of the 16th session:
Members’ Participation
- The House met for an hour and 52 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1223 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
- The Speaker did not attend the sitting.
- The Deputy Speaker attended the sitting for 36 minutes while rest of the sitting was chaired by a member of Panel of Chairpersons.
- The Leaders of the House and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 60 MPAs (16%) were present at the outset and 40 (11%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- All parliamentary leaders of political parties having representation in the House were absent.
- As many as four out of eight minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Output
- A PTI lawmaker introduced the Punjab Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2019 which was referred to the relevant committee.
- The House deferred six resolutions due to the absence of relevant ministers. These resolutions demanded to withdraw recent increase in price of fertilizers, restrict private educational institutions to ensure availability of uniforms as well as books in market, tax exemption on medicated food and milk for infants, allow construction in Tehsil Murree as per orders of High Court, consider availability of clean drinking water and sanitation facilities as basic rights of people.
- Sponsored by a PML-N lawmaker, the House rejected two resolutions which demanded to increase number of slaughter houses in province and not charge fee from the heirs of those patients expiring in hospitals.
- A PTI lawmaker withdrew her resolution to exempt senior citizens from payment of fare traveling in government transport.
- The House adopted a resolution demanding the government to direct sugar mill owners for immediate payment to agriculturists supplying sugarcane to them. The resolution was sponsored by a PML-N lawmaker.
- A supplementary resolution demanding return of Peshawar’s Edwardes College to Christians was deferred as the Minister for Law asked for debate on the issue in the House.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took nine out of 25 starred questions while the lawmakers also asked 22 supplementary questions.
- The Minister for Law responded to zero hour notice related to law and order. It was submitted by a PML-N lawmaker.
- The Concerned Ministers responded to two Adjournment Motions related to illegal construction at Model Town Society Lahore and strike of medical and para-medical staff in hospitals of Punjab against MTI Ordinance, 2019.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers raised seven Points of Order consuming ten minutes of the proceedings.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on November 27, 2019 (Wednesday) at 1500 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