ISLAMABAD, January 14, 2019: The National Assembly passed a government bill in the absence of the Opposition and consumed 56% of the proceedings on points of order on Monday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during first sitting of the seventh session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for three hours and 11 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 32 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1655 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of House (Prime Minister) was not present.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and three minutes.  He was released from jail custody to attend the House proceedings on production orders issued by the Speaker.
• As many as 44 lawmakers (13%) were present at the outset and 97 (28%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, JWP, PML-N, ANP, BAP and PML attended the sitting.
• As many as six out of 10 minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• Moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, the House passed the West Pakistan Prohibition of Smoking in Cinema Houses (Repeal) Bill, 2018 through voice voting. The bill was considered by the House in the absence of the Opposition.
• Tabled by an MQM lawmaker, the House unanimously adopted a resolution to condemn the assassination of senior MQM leader and former MNA Syed Ali Raza Abidi in Karachi.
• Minister for Human Rights presented the annual report of the National Commission on the Status of Women for the year, 2017.
• Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs presented report on I-Voting Pilot test in 35 Constituencies held on October 14, 2018.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The government answered six out of 51 Starred Questions while one question was disposed of due to absence of the mover and the remaining 44 questions were not taken up. These questions were addressed to the ministries of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony; Water Resources; National Food Security and Research; National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination; Industries and Production; Housing and Works and Maritime Affairs. The lawmakers asked 14 supplementary questions as well.

• The House did not consider two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) and a motion of thanks to the President for his address to Parliament on September 17, 2018.

Order and Institutionalization 

• A PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1905 hours but it was found complete upon counting.

• As many as 12 lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming an hour and 47 minutes of the proceedings.
• The Leader of the Opposition walked out of the House at 1858 hours against alleged use of abusive language by a treasury lawmaker in the House. Consequently, the opposition lawmakers also left the House at 1902 hours and did not return to the House till adjournment of sitting.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on January 15, 2019 (Tuesday) at 1100 hours.

 Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of lawmakers is available on the National Assembly’s website.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted