ISLAMABAD, February 27, 2018: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was adjourned on Tuesday without taking its scheduled business amidst lawmakers’ protest and walkout, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
The lawmakers protested against administering oath to a minority member-elect who is under-trial because of murder charges against him. The member-elect Baldev Kumar was produced in the House from the jail for taking oath on the orders of the Speaker. He is being tried for the murdering Soran Singh, a PTI lawmaker. The sitting was adjourned without administering oath to the member-elect.
Following are some key observations of the House proceedings during 18th sitting of the 27th session:
Members’ Participation
- The KP Assembly met for 17 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1550 hours against the scheduled time 1500 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
- The Deputy Speaker was also present.
- The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
- The Leader of the Opposition attended the entire sitting.
- As many as 39 MPAs (31%) were present at outset and 4 (3%) at adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leader of PML-N attended the sitting.
- As many as two minority lawmakers were present during the sitting.
Output
- The House did not take up the legislative business.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House did not observe the question hour.
Order and Institutionalization
- A Point of Order consumed 12 minutes of the proceedings.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on Friday, March 2, 2018.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- Information on Members’ attendance is not available to observers and media.
The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly proceedings conducted by United Rural Development Organization (URDO) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are regretted.
