ISLAMABAD, May 18, 2021: The National Assembly on Tuesday passed took up most of its agenda and passed four private members’ bills, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during second sitting of 33rd session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for three hours and 50 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 43 minutes due to prayer breaks.
• The sitting started at 04:26 pm against the scheduled time of 04:00 pm.
• The speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 20 minutes while rest of the sitting was chaired by a member of panel of chairpersons.
• The deputy speaker was not present.
• The leaders of the House (Prime Minister) and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 99 (29 percent) lawmakers were present at the outset and 24 (seven percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of AMLP, PML, GDA and PPPP attended the sitting.
• Six out of ten minority lawmakers were present.

Output

• The House passed four private members’ bills which were the Pakistan Psychological Council Bill, 2019; the Islamabad Capital Territory Domestic Workers Bill, 2020; the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment Bill, 2020.
• The House referred nine private members’ bills to committees which were the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021] (Amendment in Article- 37); the Elections (Amendment) Bill,2021; the Islamabad Healthcare Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the West Pakistan Pure Food (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill,2021 (Amendment in Article- 140A); the Benazir Income Support Program (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Maintenance and Welfare of Old Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2020; the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill,2021 and the Injured Persons Compulsory Treatment Bill, 2021;
• Thirteen bills were deferred on the request of movers which included the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021 ( Amendment in Articles- 11 and 25A); the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill,2021; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Section- 489F and Schedule- II); the Recusant Witnesses (Repeal) Bill, 2021; the International Institute of Science, Arts and Technology Bill, 2021; the Children (Pledging of Labour) (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Amendment in Article-84); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill,2021 (Amendment in Article-185); the International Islamic Institute for Peace Bill,2021; the Limitation (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Amendment in Article-25) and the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
• A private member’s bill – the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 –was also deferred as the Speaker ruled to study the identical government bill.
• Ten reports of various Standing Committees were also presented in the House.
• A bill – the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2021 – was not taken up by the House due to absence of mover.
• The House adopted three resolutions to grant extension of 120 days to three ordinances including the Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the PAF War College Institute Ordinance, 2021.
• The House did not take up two resolutions and as many private motions under Rule 259.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Parliamentary Secretary for interior responding to a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding use of farm houses in Islamabad for residential purposes instead of farming. The chair referred it to the relevant standing committee.
• Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training responded to another CAN regarding compulsory retirement of more than three hundred central superior services officers in violation of Civil Servants Act, 1973.

Order and Institutionalization

• Two lawmakers spoke on points of order for four minutes.
• An MMAP lawmaker raised a matter under Rule 18 and spoke on it for three minutes.
• The opposition lawmakers walked out of the House for 11 minutes against consideration of resolutions to extend three ordinances on private members’ day.
• A PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 05:35 pm which was found upon counting.
• Another PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 08:12 pm which was found incomplete upon counting.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on Friday, May 21, 2021 at 11:00 am.
• Transparency
• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of the lawmakers is available on the National Assembly’s website.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions excepted.