The 45th session of the National Assembly witnessed a unanimous response to the factory fires in Lahore and Karachi by ordering judicial probes and condemnation of the recent satirical video about Islam. The session was otherwise marked by protests by opposition and government allies against rising petroleum prices, law and order, and the issuance of the Local Governance Ordinance in Sindh, whereas 79% of the regular agenda was left unaddressed.

Most of the agenda on the orders of the day, especially on the private members’ days (Tuesdays in the National Assembly) were left unaddressed during the session. Only four out of the 70 agenda during two private members’ days (the second and seventh sittings) were taken up. Similarly none of the regular agenda on the seventh and eighth sittings was taken up by the House. Twelve motions under rule 259, 10 resolutions, five bills – three private and one treasury – three calling attention notices, 120 starred questions and a matter of public importance on energy crises in the country were not taken up.

The House passed the Airports Security Force (Amendment) Bill 2011 and sent three bills – the Maritime Security Agency (Amendment) Bill 2012, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (Amendment) Bill 2012 and the National Tariff Commission (Amendment) Bill 2012 – to relevant Standing Committees.

A PML legislator introduced the only private member legislation: the Political Parties Order (Amendment) Bill 2012 which aims to provide financial support to weaker political parties to facilitate them in overcoming their logistic and organizational shortfalls.

The House unanimously passed a resolutions commemorating 6 September as Defence Day, and three others about better integration of physically disabled persons, condemning the video satirizing Islam, and the industrial fires in Lahore and Karachi. Six male and as many female MNAs sponsored the resolutions – five members of MQM, followed by PMLN (four) and three of PPPP.

The Standing Committee on Finance & Revenue and Planning & Development presented a report on the Pakistan Coinage (Amendment) Bill 2010. Seven other reports by Standing Committees were not taken up by the House.

The House took up 10 out of the 13 calling attention notices (CANs). Sixty-nine percent notices were jointly sponsored by male and female legislators. Only the notices regarding smuggling of narcotics, delay in HEC scholarships and forced retirement and transfer of PTCL employees remained unaddressed. Five CANs were addressed to the Cabinet Secretariat and a single each to the Ministries of Defense, Capital Administration and Development, Climate Change, Water and Power, Communications, Housing and Information Technology.

Members raise points of order on an observed breach of the rules of procedures and conduct of business while the session is in progress. As many as 138 points of order were raised consuming five hours and 58 minutes (28% of session’s time).

The session from 3-13 September 2012 was spread over 20 hours and 57 minutes – an average sitting lasting two hours and 37 minutes. Each sitting, on average, remained 67 minutes behind schedule; the longest delay of an hour and 42 minutes was observed in the second sitting. Three prayer breaks, taken periodically during the session, consumed an hour and 45 minutes of the proceedings.

Members’ attendance – although low – displayed an overall improvement from the previous session. In the 341-member House, 20% (69 members) were sighted at the beginning and 22% (74) at the end of a sitting. On average, maximum 135 members were present on the floor during the 45th session indicating that the quorum did meet at any one time during each sitting.

The Prime Minister attended three sittings remaining present for an hour and16 minutes (6 % of session time), while the Leader of the Opposition participated in two sittings for 36 minutes (3%) of the session. Three sittings were chaired by the Speaker for four hours and 57 minutes, as the Deputy Speaker presided over seven sittings for 11 hours and 10 minutes and the Panel of Chairpersons –present in all sittings – chaired the rest of the session for four hours and 50 minutes.

The lowest parliamentary leaders’ attendance for the fifth parliamentary year, so far, was observed during this session.

PPPS party leader attended three sittings, followed by PMLF head (two) and a single sitting by MMAP leader. The leaders of ANP, MQM and PML remained away from the session. A government ally, ANP, walked out of the fifth sitting on the issuance of local government ordinance in Sindh and boycotted the remaining session. The price hike in petroleum products was protested by ANP, MQM and PMLN legislators through walkouts consuming 59 minutes collectively. PMLN legislators also raised their voice over the deteriorating law and order in the country

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