ISLAMABAD, March 8, 2024: The Provincial Assembly of Punjab convened on Friday for the first sitting of the third session.
The following are key observations of the sitting:
• Twenty-six lawmakers took oath during the sitting: 21 were elected on seats reserved for women, three on seats reserved for minorities, and two on general seats.
• During the session, opposition members protested for 25 minutes against the oath-taking of reserved seat members.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The issue of lack of quorum was raised twice by lawmakers of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). Initially, the issue of lack of quorum was pointed out at 10:33 hours, but upon count, the quorum was found to be complete. Later, at 11:50 hours, the lack of quorum was again pointed out. The Speaker ordered a count of the members, and subsequently, 75 members were present. The bells were rung for five minutes after which, the quorum was completed.
• The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs laid eight annual reports before the House during the sitting.
• A resolution moved by a lawmaker belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) to praise the services of the Late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was unanimously passed by the House. Six lawmakers spoke on the resolution for an hour before it was adopted.
• Another resolution, moved by a lawmaker from the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), to pay tribute to all women on the International Day of Women, was also adopted.
• As many as five lawmakers spoke on 13 points of order for 24 minutes.
• Additionally, the Speaker announced a four-member panel of chairpersons, comprising Mr. Rana Munawar Hussain, Mr. Syed Haider Gillani, Mr. Ghulam Raza, and Ms. Rahila Naeem.
• The session commenced an hour and 28 minutes later than scheduled and lasted for a duration of three hours and one minute, including a fifty-minute recess. At the start, 200 members were present, with 81 members present by the end, including seven members representing minority seats.
• The session was prorogued sine die.
This factsheet is based on the direct observation of the House proceedings on March 8, 2024, by the Free and Fair Election Network.
For more updates, visit FAFEN Digital , www.fafen.org and www.openparliament.pk
