ISLAMABAD, May 6, 2019: The National Assembly was adjourned on Monday without addressing three quarters of its regular business due to protest by the opposition parties against increase in petroleum prices, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in the Daily Factsheet

Following are key observations of the proceedings during tenth sitting of the ninth session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for an hour and 23 minutes.
• The proceedings started at 1527 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker was not present.
• The Leaders of the House and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 56 lawmakers (16%) were present at the outset and 173 (51%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML-N and BAP attended the sitting.
• As many as six out of 10 minority lawmakers were present.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) highlighting the high rate of mark up being charged by the NGOs and Microfinance Banks on agricultural loans. The ministerial statement on the notice was disrupted due to the opposition’s protest.
• The House did not address a CAN regarding proposed 50% reduction in the budget of the Higher Education Commission.
• The ministers responded to nine out of 51 Starred Questions during the proceedings while the remaining questions were not taken up. In addition, lawmakers asked 16 supplementary questions as well.
• The House did not take up a Motion under Rule 259 and Motion of Thanks to the President for his address to the Parliament.

Order and Institutionalization

• As many as two lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming eight minutes of the proceedings.
• The opposition lawmakers carrying placards in their hands protested for four minutes in front of dais of the Chair against hike in petroleum prices. The protestors continued their demonstration disregarding the Chair’s warning of an early adjournment of the proceedings.
• In a ruling, the Chair disallowed the use of banners and placards in the House under Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in National Assembly, 2007.
• The Chair adjourned the House to meet again on May 8, 2019 (Wednesday) at 1100 hours.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.

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