ISLAMABAD, January 15, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Punjab transacted the entire private members’ agenda scheduled for Tuesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during seventh sitting of the sixth session:
Members’ Participation
- The Assembly met for two hours and 33 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1310 hours against the scheduled time of 1130 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 17 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
- The Leaders of the House and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 35 MPAs (9%) were present at the outset while 60 (16%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP and PRHP attended the proceedings.
- As many as six out of eight minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Output
- Moved by PTI lawmakers, The House unanimously adopted two resolution congratulating armed forces of Pakistan for shooting down an Indian spy drone in Bagh sector and recommending the federal government to amend the Constitution and election laws to declare a seat vacant in case a member-elect on the seat does not take oath within three months of the election. The resolution on constitutional amendment was moved as supplementary agenda.
- The House deferred a resolution regarding exorbitant fees of private hospitals’ doctors for further discussion while four other resolutions were not addressed due to absence of the relevant ministers or movers. Moreover, two resolutions recommending to change the Benazir Income Support Programme and banning the beggary were withdrawn by the movers.
- Moved by the Minister for Law, the House passed a motion to elect seven members of the Finance Committee.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The government responded to five out of eight Starred Questions while three questions were not taken up. These questions were addressed to the ministries of Auqaf & Religious Affairs and Food. The lawmakers asked 14 supplementary questions as well.
- The House admitted a PML-N lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion (AM) regarding wastage of wheat due to negligence of the concerned department for discussion on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.
- The House referred a PML-N lawmaker’s AM regarding an incident of harassment by the Medical Superintendent (MS) of Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi to the Special Committee-III.
- The House deferred two AMs due to absence of the relevant ministers. The AMs were submitted by lawmakers belonging to PML-N and PML.
Order and Institutionalization
- As many as 20 lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming 32 minutes of the proceedings.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on January 16, 2019 (Wednesday) at 1100 hours.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available on the Assembly’s website.
- Information on Members’ attendance is available on the 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 excepted.