• Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, August 17, 2018: The National Assembly on Friday elected Imran Khan as the Leader of the House with 176 votes in his favor and 96 against him that went to PML-N Candidate Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during the third and last sitting of the Assembly’s first session:

 Members’ Participation

• The Assembly met for five hours and seven minutes while the Chair suspended the proceedings for 28 minutes due to protest of PML-N lawmakers.
•  The sitting started at 1626 hours against the scheduled time of 1530 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire proceedings while the Deputy Speaker was also present.
• As many as 283 (83% of the total membership) members were present at the outset and 67 (20%) at the adjournment of the sitting.

Election of the Prime Minister

• The PTI nominee Muhammad Imran Khan Niazi defeated Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif of PML-N as he secured 176 votes. The PML-N nominee received 96 votes during balloting at the National Assembly while PPPP abstained from voting.

Output

• The House unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the blasphemous cartoon competition in Netherlands. Three lawmakers spoke on it for seven minutes.                             

Representation and Responsiveness 

• Moved by a PTI lawmaker, the House passed a motion to declare the National Assembly Hall as Polling Booth for the upcoming election of President.

 Order and Institutionalization

• The newly elected Prime Minister and the runner-up candidate made speeches in the House and spoke for 13 and 21 minutes respectively.
• PPPP MNA Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also made his maiden speech and spoke for 15 minutes. Ten other lawmakers also spoke for an hour and 33 minutes after election of Prime Minister.
• PML-N lawmakers protested on floor of the House for 38 minutes against alleged rigging in the general elections on July 25. They also protested for 13 minutes during the speech of elected Prime Minister.
• PTI lawmakers also protested during the speech of PML-N nominee for premiership that continued for 21 minutes.
• A PML-N lawmaker walked out of the House at 2023 hours against Chair’s attitude and did not return to the House till prorogation of session.

 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.