ISLAMABAD, June 27, 2013: The Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Finance Bill 2013 during the eighth sitting of its second session on Thursday. Starting 55 minutes late, the sitting lasted two hours and 15 minutes.

The Schedule of Authorized Expenditure for the year 2013-14 and the Punjab Services Tribunals (Amendment) Ordinance were also laid during the sitting.

The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for an hour and 46 minutes.

Law makers belonging to PTI, PPPP and PMLN staged a 10 minute walkout to air their reservations on the Agriculture income tax and property tax on five Marla houses.

Following are some key observations of the proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Punjab Assembly met for two hours and 15 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1055 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of 55 minutes.
• The Speaker chaired the entire sitting. The Deputy Speaker was not present.
• Sixty-five members were present at the outset while 118 were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 160 members were present at one time during any point of sitting.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for an hour and 46 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML, PMLZ, and PPPP did not attend the sitting whereas the only member of JI was present.
• The Finance Minister attended the proceedings for two hours and seven minutes.
• Four minority members attended the sitting.
• Seven members took oath.
  

Output

• The Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Finance bill 2013 with 94 votes.
• The Schedule of the Authorized Expenditure for the year 2013-14 was laid before the house.
• The Punjab services Tribunal Ordinance 2013 was laid before the house.
  

Order and Institutionalization

• The members raised 38 Points of Orders consuming 27 minutes of the sitting time.
• The MPAs of PTI, PPPP and PML staged a 10 minute walkout over the tax on agriculture income and property tax on five Marla houses.
  

Transparency

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

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN, a member organization of FAFEN