ISLAMABAD, October 6, 2015: The Balochistan Assembly could not take up half of the questions on its agenda as relevant movers were not present for the sitting on Tuesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The sitting started five minutes behind the schedule with 26 (40%) lawmakers present at the start and 23 (35%) at the time of adjournment. Four out of eight questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded by the relevant ministers while four others were deferred due to absence of the relevant movers.

The House did not take up the Balochistan Thalassemia Prevention and Protection Bill 2015 despite it being on the agenda. An adjournment motion regarding steps to curb begging practices in the province was withdrawn by the mover after assurance from the Chief Minister to look into the matter.

The Chair admitted an adjournment motion regarding expulsion of Pashtoons from AJK for discussion in any of the next sittings.

Following are some key observations of the assembly proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Balochistan Assembly met for an hour and five minutes.
• The sitting started at 1605 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
• Twenty-six lawmakers (40%) were present at the start and 23 (35%) at the end of the sitting.
• A maximum of 40 (62%) members attended the sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for 47 minutes while the remaining sitting was presided over by member of the Panel of Chairpersons.
• The Chief Minister and the Opposition Leader attended the entire sitting.
• Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, PML-N, ANP and MWM attended the sitting.
• One minority member attended the sitting.
• Three members applied for leave.

Output

• The House did not take up the Balochistan Thalassemia Prevention and Protection Bill 2015 despite it being on the agenda.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Four out of eight questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded by the relevant ministers while four others were deferred due to absence of the relevant movers.
• The Chair admitted an adjournment motion regarding expulsion of Pashtoons from AJK for discussion in any of the next sittings.

Order and Institutionalization

• Seven points of order consumed 13 minutes of the sitting.
• No protests/boycotts/walkouts were witnessed.

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.