Amendment moved to include ‘Zero Hour’ in Rules   

ISLAMABAD, November 7, 2016: The Provincial Assembly of Balochistan on Monday passed the Balochistan Child Protection Bill, 2015 and discussed the measures taken by security agencies after terrorist attack on the Police Training Center, Quetta, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during third sitting of the 35^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Balochistan Assembly met for four hours and three minutes.
• The sitting started at 1527 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 47 minutes while rest of the proceeding was chaired by a Member of Panel of Chairpersons.
• The post of Deputy Speaker is lying vacant since December 2015.
• The Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition attended entire sitting.
• Twenty lawmakers (29%) were present at the start and 18 (26%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, PML, ANP, JUI-F, PML-N and MWM were present.
• Three minority members attended the sitting.
• Seven members applied for leave.

Output

• Tabled by the Advisor to CM on Law and Parliamentary Affairs, the House passed the Balochistan Child Protection Bill, 2015 following report of the standing committee.
• The Chairperson, Standing Committee on Education presented the report regarding irregularities during National Testing Service (NTS) tests of the provincial education department.
• Sponsored by the Advisor to CM on Law and Parliamentary Affairs, the House referred an amendment to the Rules of Procedure of Assembly regarding insertion of new chapter of “Zero Hour” to the relevant standing committee.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House deferred six Starred Questions appearing on the agenda due to the absence of relevant minister.
• Sponsored by the Opposition Leader, the House discussed an Adjournment Motion regarding measures taken by security agencies after terrorist attack on the Police Training Center, Quetta on October 24, 2016. Fifteen lawmakers expressed their views on motion consuming three hours and 14 minutes of the proceedings.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers spoke on nine Points of Order consuming 23 minutes of the proceedings.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Attendance of Members was not made public.

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.