ISLAMABAD, September 27, 2014: Starting 47 behind the schedule, the Balochistan Assembly witnessed low attendance of legislators as 20 were present at the start while 15 at the adjournment of the second sitting of 14^th session, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting. Moreover, only the parliamentary leader of PkMAP attended the sitting while those of MWM, PML-N, ANP and PML did not attend the sitting.

Four points of order consumed 60 minutes of the sitting time. However, none of them attracted the chair’s formal ruling. Unless the chair gives a formal ruling on a point of order, it does not lead to any assembly output.

Following are some key observations of the proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Balochistan Assembly met for two hours and 20 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1147 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours witnessing a delay of 47 minutes.
• Twenty MPAs (31% of the total membership) were present at the outset and 15 (23%) at the adjournment of the sitting. A maximum of 23 (36%) members were observed to be present at one point of the sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the entire sitting as the Speaker was absent.
• The Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leader of PkMAP attended the sitting.
• Two minority members attended the sitting.
• Two members applied for leave.

 Output

• The Minister for S&GAD introduced three bills – the Balochistan Chief Minister and Provincial Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges Amendment) Bill 2014, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges Amendment) Bill 2014 and the Members Provincial Assembly (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges Amendment) Bill 2014. All bills were deferred.
• Submitted by a PkMAP member, the House unanimously adopted a resolution for establishing the Benazir Income Support Program offices at tehsil-level in Balochistan.

 Order and Institutionalization

• Four points of order consumed 60 minutes of the sitting time. However, none of them attracted the chair’s formal ruling. Unless the chair gives a formal ruling on a point of order, it does not lead to any assembly output.

 Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on legislators’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.