ISLAMABAD, August 4, 2015: Only three items appearing on the Orders of the Day were taken up during the private members’ day as the National Assembly left almost 88% agenda unaddressed on Tuesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its daily factsheet.

The seventh sitting of the ongoing 24th session started an hour and 25 minutes behind the schedule at 1155 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours and lasted 3 hours and 19 minutes. Eighty-six (25%) members were present at the outset whereas 66 (19%) lawmakers were present at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 188 (55%) lawmakers were present at one point of the sitting.

Speaker presided the entire sitting while the Deputy Speaker was not found to be present. In addition, 38% of the sitting’s time was consumed in prayer break and discussion regarding motions under rule 44 in Speaker’s Chamber.

The lawmakers raised 19 Points of Order that consumed 90 minutes (45%) of the sitting.  The House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding non-payment of cash awards to the students from classes V to VIII who qualified for scholarships in 2013-14 as announced by the Federal Directorate of Education, Islamabad. Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development (CAD) Division, Usman Ibrahim, responded to this CAN.

Two motions under rule 44 – one each sponsored by MQM and JUI-F – to deseat the PTI members under Clause (2) of the Article 64 of the Constitution were taken up and deferred till Thursday after a prolonged discussion in Speaker’s Chamber for around an hour. The PTI members remained absent without seeking prior approval for leave from the assembly for more than 40 consecutive days of its sittings.

All other agenda items, including a CAN, an amendment in Rules of Procedure, three reports of the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges, five motions under rule 259, six resolutions and as many bills that appeared on the Orders of the Day, were not taken up by the House.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a PTI member, announced that his party’s lawmakers will not attend the sitting till the House reaches a decision on motions under rule 44 moved to deseat them. He, along with his fellow party-men left the House at 1335 hours and did not return back till the time of adjournment.

Following are some key observations:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The National Assembly met for three hours and 19 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1155 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The House had a prayer break and discussion on two motions under rule 44 in the Speaker’s Chamber for an hour and 16 minutes.
• The Speaker chaired the sitting for the entire time.
• Deputy Speaker was not present in the House.
• Eighty-six (25%) members were present at the onset whereas 66 (19%) lawmakers were present at the time of adjournment.
• A maximum of 188 (55%) lawmakers were present at one point of the sitting.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting while the Opposition Leader was present for two hours and 59 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of all parties attended the sitting.
• Six minority members attended the proceedings.
• Eighteen members applied for leave.

 Output

• The House did not take up six private members’ bills that were to be introduced, as many resolutions and three reports of the Standing Committee on the Rules of Procedure and Privileges that appeared on the Orders of the Day.

 Representation and Responsiveness

•  The House took up a calling attention notices (CANs) regarding non-payment of cash awards to the students from classes V to VIII who qualified for scholarships in 2013-14 as announced by the Federal Directorate of Education, Islamabad. Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development (CAD) Division, Usman Ibrahim, responded to this CAN.

 Order and Institutionalization

•  The lawmakers raised 19 Points of Order that consumed 90 minutes (45%) of the sitting.
• Two motions under rule 44 – one each sponsored by MQM and JUI-F – to deseat the PTI members under Clause (2) of the Article 64 of the Constitution as the members remained absent without leave from the assembly for more than 40 consecutive days of its sittings, were taken up and deferred till Thursday after a prolonged discussion in Speaker’s Chamber for around an hour.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.

To download the factsheet, click here

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.