ISLAMABAD, October 9, 2013: The Balochistan Assembly’s sixth sitting was prorogued on Wednesday as the House adopted a resolution during the sixth and last sitting.

Through a PkMAP sponsored resolution, the House called upon the establishment of modern educational and technical institutions in Chaman, Balochistan. The resolution was adopted jointly. Nineteen Members shared their views for more than two hours on the adjournment motion presented in the last sitting on the Zarai Taraqiati Bank’s “dispute against the landowners in the province”.

PML-N legislators made a 19-minutes walkout against the security forces raiding one their MPA’S house. A new Member of NP took oath in the sitting.

Speaker chaired the entire sitting. The Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition did not attend the proceedings.

Following are some key observations of the proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Balochistan Assembly met for almost five hours (four hours and 59 minutes). The House took one prayer break consuming 41 minutes of the proceedings.
• The sitting started at 1548 hours against the scheduled start time of 1530 hours, witnessing a delay of 18 minutes.
• There were a maximum of 42 Members at the beginning and 19 when the sitting was adjourned.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting whereas the Deputy Speaker was absent.
• Both the Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• The Parliamentary leaders of PML-Q (opposition and government), ANP, PkMAP and MWM were present.
• Two Members applied for leave.
• Three minority Members attended the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• There were no questions on the orders of the day.
• A new Member of NP took oath in the House.
• Sponsored by legislators of PkMAP, a resolution called for establishment of technical and modern educational institutes including the Cadet College in Chaman, Balochistan. The resolution was adopted.
• Nineteen Members debated an adjournment motion moved by PkMAP MPAs in the last sitting for more than two hours. It was on the Zarai Taraqiati Bank’s “vendetta against landowners in the province”.

Order and Institutionalization

• Lawmakers spoke on 11 points of order consuming 24 minutes of the proceedings.
• Members of PML-N made a 19-minutes walkout against the security forces raid on one of their member’s house.

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.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Balochistan Assembly proceedings conducted by Center for Peace and Development (CPD), a Member organization of FAFEN.