ISLAMABAD, June 16, 2010: The eleventh sitting of the budget session was marked by low attendance of the members with only 58 present at the outset and 33 members at the end. As many as 23 members spoke on the budgetary proposals for 255 minutes, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on National Assembly proceedings.

The following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ participation in House proceedings

• The National Assembly met for 04 hours and 31 minutes.
• The eleventh sitting started at 1120 Hours against the scheduled starting time of 1100 hours. The House proceedings started late by 20 minutes.
• The Speaker chaired the sitting for 22 minutes, while the Deputy Speaker presided over the sitting for 99 minutes. The remaining 50 were chaired by Mr. Abdul Qadir Patel (Member of Panel of Chairpersons).
• The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 44 minutes, while the Leader of the Opposition remained absent.
• Parliamentary Leaders of PPPS and PMLF were present, while the leaders of PML, MQM, ANP, NPP, MMAP and BNPA did not attend the sitting.
• The Chief Whips of PPPP, PMLN, PML, ANP and PPPS were present, while those of MQM, MMAP, PMLF, NPP and BNPA were absent.
• As many as four members appealed for leave to be absent.
• Fifty Eight (17%) members were present at the outset of the sitting, while 33 (10%) members were present when the sitting was adjourned.
• All minority members were present during the eleventh sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• As many as 23 members spoke on the budgetary proposals presented during the third sitting.
• As many as 10 members of PPPP spoke for a total of 105 minutes. Seven members of PMLN took 79 minutes to speak on the proposed budget. Three MQM members took 33 minutes, while one member each from PML, ANP and PMLF took 10, 15 and 14 minutes, respectively, to give their opinion on budgetary proposals.
•  The Minister for Finance and Revenue attended the sitting for 22 minutes.

Order and institutionalization

• Three Points of Order were raised, taking up 9 minutes of the House proceedings.
• There was no Adjournment Motion on the Orders of the Day.
• There was no instance of protest, boycott and walkout during the 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 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