ISLAMABAD, March 29, 2010: The 11th sitting lasted three hours and 07 minutes with 69 members present at the outset. As many as 84 minutes were consumed by the Points of Order raised by various MNAs whereas both the bills on agenda were not taken up during Monday’s proceedings, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Eleventh Sitting of 20th Session of the National Assembly Proceedings.

The following are some key observations of the Parliamentary Business:

Members’ participation in House proceedings

• The National Assembly met for 3 Hours and 07 Minute.
• The eleventh sitting started at 1747 Hours against the scheduled starting time of 1700 hours. The House proceedings started late by 47 minutes.
• The Speaker was absent during the sitting, whereas Deputy Speaker was present, who chaired the House for 94 Minutes, while Miss. Yasmeen Rehman chaired the remaining 93 minutes (Panel of Chairpersons).
• The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 36 minutes. However, the Leader of Opposition remained absent.
• Parliamentary leaders of PML, MMAP, ANP, NPP, PPPS, BNPA and PMLF were absent. Only MQM parliamentary leader attended 11th sitting.
• The Chief Whips of PPPP, PMLN and PML were present while Chief Whips of MQM, ANP PPPS, PML, MMAP, PMLF, NPP and BNPA were absent.
• 13 members appealed for leave to be absent from the sitting.
• A total of 69 members were present at the outset of the sitting, while 61 members were present at the end of the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• There were 2 Calling Attention Notices on the Orders of the Day. The House took up both CANs.
• The Calling Attention Notices taken up by the House were directed to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources.
•  The CAN directed to the Ministry of Education was tabled by 5 members of PPPP, while the CAN directed to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources was sponsored by 4 members of PMLN and one of PML.
• A total of 20 questions were listed on the agenda to be taken up during the Question Hour. However, only six questions were raised and responded to, by the relevant minister.

Output

• There were two bills on the agenda; none of them was taken up by the House. However, three motions seeking constitution of Mediation Committees on three Bills were presented before the House by Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Order and institutionalization

• 31 Points of Order were raised, taking up 84 minutes of the House proceedings. However, none of them required Speaker’s ruling.
• There was one Adjournment Motion on the Orders of the Day. However, the House did not debate the issue
• There was no instance of walkout or boycott during Monday’s sitting.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
• The Quorum was visibly lacking at various stages during the sitting. However, lack of quorum was not pointed out by any of the members of the National Assembly.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a member organization of FAFEN