ISLAMABAD, June 19, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Punjab on Wednesday resumed general discussion on budget 2019-20 amid low attendance of lawmakers as 15 percent were present at the outset and 16 percent at the adjournment of sitting, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during fifth sitting of the 10th session:
Members’ Participation
- The House met for three hours and 21 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1635 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
- The Speaker did not attend the sitting.
- The Deputy Speaker presided over the sitting for 24 minutes while a Member of the Panel of Chairpersons chaired the rest of the proceedings.
- The Leaders of the House and the Opposition did not attend the proceedings.
- The Finance Minister attended the proceedings for two hours and 11 minutes.
- As many as 55 MPAs (15%) were present at the outset and 60 (16%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP and PRHP attended the proceedings.
- As many as five out of eight minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Twenty-one lawmakers – ten of PTI, nine of PML-N, and one each of PPPP and PML – participated in debate on the budget for two hours and 24 minutes.
Order and Institutionalization
- Eight lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming 16 minutes of the proceedings.
- The entire opposition protested on floor of the House for 18 minutes against the controversial remarks passed by a treasury lawmaker during her budget speech.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on June 20, 2019 (Thursday) at 1500 hours.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available on Assembly’s website.
- Information on Members’ attendance is available on 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