ISLAMABAD, May 17, 2014: Despite low attendance of lawmakers, the Provincial Minister for Tourism tabled three bills, including Balochistan Tourist Guide Bill, 2014, Balochistan Travel Agencies Bill 2014 and Balochistan Hotel and Restaurants Act 2014 during second sitting of 10th session of Balochistan Assembly on Saturday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs laid three audit reports comprising Audit Report on the Accounts of Government of Balochistan 2010-11, Audit Report on the Accounts Revenue Receipts of Government of Balochistan 2010-11 and Public Sector Audit Report of Government of Balochistan 2010-11. The Chair referred all these reports to the relevant committee.
Six PkMAP lawmakers tabled an adjournment motion regarding police harassment of Baloch students studying in different educational institutions in Lahore. The motion was disposed of following assurance of the Chief Minister to take up the issue with the Punjab government.
The Chair continued the proceedings despite the pointation of lack of quorum by a JUI-F lawmaker.
Following are some key observations of the proceedings:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Balochistan Assembly met for two hours and 10 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1125 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours, witnessing a delay of 25 minutes.
- Thirty members were present at the outset while 15 were there at the adjournment of the sitting.
- The Speaker chaired the sitting for 08 minutes while the remaining proceedings were presided over by a member of the panel of chairpersons.
- The Chief Minister attended the sitting for an hour and 29 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the proceedings.
- The parliamentary leaders of NP and PkMAP were present.
- Three members applied for leave.
- Two minority members were present during the sitting.
Output
- Provincial Minister for Tourism laid three bills, including Balochistan Tourist Guide Bill, 2014, Balochistan Travel Agencies Bill 2014 and Balochistan Hotel and Restaurants Act 2014.
- The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs tabled three audit reports comprising Audit Report on the Accounts of Government of Balochistan 2010-11, Audit Report on the Accounts Revenue Receipts of Government of Balochistan 2010-11 and Public Sector Audit Report of Government of Balochistan 2010-11.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Six PkMAP lawmakers tabled an adjournment motion regarding police harassment of Baloch students studying in different educational institutions in Lahore.
- Order and Institutionalization
- Thirteen lawmakers spoke on as many points of order consuming 55 minutes of the proceedings.
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
