ISLAMABAD, October 9, 2015: Starting 45 minutes behind the schedule, the Balochistan Assembly passed three bills and adopted similar number of resolutions during the 4th sitting of ongoing 21st session on Friday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Low attendance of lawmakers persisted during the sitting as 22 (34%) lawmakers were present at the start and 20 (31%) at the time of adjournment. None of the five questions appearing on the agenda were taken up due to absence of relevant minister as well as movers.

Three resolutions adopted by the House were about providing 5,000 solar tube wells to farmers of the province, filling vacant posts in WAPDA and its attached departments and taking stern action against those preparing substandard drinks.

The House passed three bills including the Balochistan Thalassemia Prevention and Protection Bill 2015, the Balochistan Industrial Relations Bill 2015 and the Balochistan Boiler and Pressure Vessels Bill 2015. Earlier, reports of the relevant Standing Committees about these bills were also presented.

The House also witnessed introduction of the Balochistan Private Educational Institutions (Promotion, Regulation and Registration) Bill 2015 and the Balochistan Kidney Center Quetta Bill 2015.

Following are some key observations of the assembly proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Balochistan Assembly met for three hours and 15 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1545 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• Twenty (31%) were present at the start and 20 (31%) at the end of the sitting.
• A maximum of 29 (45%) members attended the sitting.
• A member of Panel of Chairpersons chaired the entire sitting.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Opposition Leader was present for 88 minutes.
• Parliamentary leaders of PML-N, JUI-F and ANP attended the sitting.
• One minority member attended the sitting.
• Five members applied for leave.

Output

• The House passed three bills including the Balochistan Thalassemia Prevention and Protection Bill 2015, the Balochistan Industrial Relations Bill 2015 and the Balochistan Boiler and Pressure Vessels Bill 2015.
• Reports of the relevant Standing Committees on aforementioned bills were also presented earlier.
  The House also witnessed introduction of the Balochistan Private Educational Institutions (Promotion, Regulation and Registration) Bill 2015 and Balochistan Kidney Center Quetta Bill 2015.
• The House adopted three resolutions about providing 5,000 solar tube wells to farmers of the province, filling vacant posts in WAPDA and its attached departments and taking stern action against those preparing substandard drinks.

Representation and Responsiveness

• None of the five questions appearing on the agenda were taken up due to absence of relevant minister as well as movers.

Order and Institutionalization

• Eleven points of order consumed 35 minutes of the sitting.
• A PML-N lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1647 hours which led to the adjournment of the sitting for 43 minutes.
• JUI-F and ANP lawmakers walked out the sitting for 47 minutes for not referring the the Balochistan Private Educational Institutions (Promotion, Regulation and Registration) Bill 2015 to the relevant committee for further deliberations.

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.

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This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Balochistan Assembly proceedings conducted by Center for Peace and Development (CPD) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.