• MQM stages walkout over increase in prices of petroleum products

ISLAMABAD, April 5: Starting an hour and 14 minutes behind schedule, the Joint Sitting of the Parliament, which met for three hour and 29 minutes on Thursday, unanimously passed the NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology Multan Bill 2009 and the Pakistan Trade Control of Wild Fauna and Flora Bill 2010.

The Parliament also passed a resolution on changing the name of National Assembly Kashmir Committee into the Parliamentary Kashmir Committee.

MQM legislators walked out of the House against increase in the prices of petroleum products.

Eight legislators spoke on the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2009 for 45 minutes.

Twelve Points of Order consumed 32% of the sitting time. However, none of the Points of Order raised attracted the Chair’s formal ruling.

A total of 113 legislators (from both the Houses) were present at the start while only 56 were there when the sitting was adjourned. A maximum of 196 Members were present at one point of the sitting.

The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 10 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 39 minutes.

The parliamentary leaders of the MMAP, PMLN and MQM were present while those of the PPPS, NPP, ANP, PML, PMLF and BNPA were absent.

Legislators’ participation in Parliament proceedings

• The Joint Sitting met for three hours and 29 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1814 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1700 hours. The proceedings started late by an hour and 14 minutes.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for 27 minutes while the remaining time was presided over by the Speaker.
• The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 10 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 39 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of the MMAP, PMLN and MQM were present while those of the PPPS, NPP, ANP, PML, PMLF and BNPA were absent.
• The Chief Whips of PPPP, PMLN, MMAP, MQM, PML and PMLF were present.
• A total of 113 legislators were present at the start and 56 at the end of the sitting. A maximum of 196 Members were present at one point during the sitting.
• 13 Members applied for leave to be absent.

Representation and Responsiveness

• No Calling Attention Notices appeared on the Orders of the Day.

Parliamentary Output

• The NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology Multan Bill 2009 and the Pakistan Trade Control of Wild Fauna and Flora Bill, 2010 were passed by the Parliament.
• The Parliament unanimously passed a resolution about to change the name of National Assembly Kashmir Committee into the Parliamentary Kashmir Committee.
• Eight legislators spoke on the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2009 for 45 minutes.

Order and institutionalization

• Twelve Points of Order consumed 66 minutes (32%) of the sitting time. However, none of the Points of Order raised attracted the Chair’s formal ruling.
• The sitting witnessed a walkout. MQM legislators staged a walkout against increase in the prices of petroleum products. They went out of the House at 1900 hours and came back to attend the proceedings after prayer break.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Legislators’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a Member organization of FAFEN.