ISLAMABAD, June 22, 2013: The Finance Minister winded up the general discussion on budget for the financial year 2013-14 in the ninth sitting of the second session on Saturday. The National Assembly also considered the recommendations made by the Senate on the budget. The sitting lasted seven hours and six minutes.

Ten MNAs took part in discussion on the Senate’s recommendations on budget. The Finance Minister informed the House that 21 of the 113 recommendations were adopted.

Twenty members discussed the charged expenditures for 76 minutes. Responding to these, the Finance Minister spoke for 25 minutes.

The House approved 77 of the 151 Demands for Grants as there was no cut motion on these demands.

Two Calling Attention Notices appearing on the agenda were taken up. One was regarding increasing incidents of extra-judicial killings and missing of innocent persons in Karachi, while the other was about delay in completion of work on PC-1 for the proposed first FATA University.

A total of 96 members were present at the outset while 114 were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 212 members were there at one point of sitting.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The National Assembly met for seven hours and six minutes. The House took a break of 65 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1050 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1030 hours, witnessing the delay of 20 minutes.
• The Speaker chaired the sitting for five hours and 45 minutes. The rest of the proceedings were presided over by the Deputy Speaker.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition remained present for two hours and 10 minutes.
• The Minister for Finance attended the sitting for four hours and 51 minutes.
• A total of 96 members were present at the outset while 114 were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 212 members were there at one point of sitting.
• Seven minority members attended the sitting.
• Fifteen members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Ten MNAs took part in general discussion on the Senate’s recommendations on budget. They discussed those recommendations for 72 minutes. Finance Minister informed the House that 21 of the 113 recommendations were adopted.
• The Finance Minister concluded the debate on the budget. His speech lasted 64 minutes.
• Twenty members discussed the Charged Expenditures for 76 minutes. Responding these, the Finance Minister spoke for 25 minutes.
• Seventy-seven Demands for Grants were approved after voting as there was no cut motion on these demands. Remaining 74 Demands for Grants would be discussed tomorrow.
• Two Calling Attention Notices appearing on the agenda were taken up. One was regarding increasing incidents of extra-judicial killings and missing of innocent persons in Karachi, while the other was about delay in completion of work on PC-1 for the proposed first FATA university.

Order and Institutionalization

• Fifteen points of order consumed 32 minutes of the sitting time.
• No instance of protest, walkout or boycott observed during the sitting.

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.

The 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