• Budget Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, June 14, 2017: The National Assembly approved 124 Supplementary Demands for Grants for financial year 2016-17 and 59 Excess Demands for Grants and Appropriations for the years 1998-1999 and 2003-2004, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are key observations of the proceedings during last (15^th) sitting of the 43^rd session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 52 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1151 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire while the Deputy Speaker was also present.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for 63 minutes.
• 132 MNAs (39%) were present at outset and 92 (26%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of JI, PPPP, PkMAP, ANP, AMLP, PML, APML and QWP-S attended the sitting.
• Seven minority members were present.

Output

• The House approved 124 Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2016-17 and 59 Excess Demands for Grants and Appropriations for the years 1998-1999 and 2003-2004.
• The Finance Minister laid the Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2017-18, Supplementary Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2016-17 and Excess Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 1998-1999 and 2003-2004 in the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Three lawmakers debated the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 63 minutes. The Finance Minister concluded the debate.

Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker raised a Point of Order consuming two minutes of the proceedings.
• The entire opposition protested for eleven minutes over absence of the Prime Minister to brief the House over diplomatic crisis in Gulf States. Later, the protesting lawmakers staged a walkout from the proceedings at 1254 hours and did not return to the House.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Information on Members’ attendance is available on the National Assembly website.

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