ISLAMABAD, June 22, 2016: The National Assembly approved the Finance Bill, 2016 and 112 Supplementary Demands for Grants  for financial year 2015-16 on Wednesday during 17^th sitting of 33^rd session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following the conclusion of the business, the session was prorogued.

Below are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for seven hours and 41 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1129 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for three hours and 23 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for four hours and 11 minutes.
• The Finance Minister attended the entire sitting.
• 105 MNAs (30%) were present at outset and 95 (27%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of MQM, PkMAP, JI, PML-F, BNP-A, AMLP, ANP and QWP-S attended the sitting.
• Ten minority members were present.

Output

• The House approved four Demands for Grants of the ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources.  The opposition withdrew its Cut Motions on these demands.
• Moved by Finance Minister, the House passed the Finance Bill, 2016 with majority vote. Thirteen lawmakers – PPPP and PTI (three each), MQM and JI (two each) and AMLP, BNP-A and Independent (one each) – discussed the bill for two hours and 42 minutes.
• The House also approved 112 Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2015-16.
• The Finance Minister laid before the House the Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2016-17 and the Supplementary Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2015-16.
• Moved by Minister for Law & Justice, the House adopted a resolution to extend the term of the National Command Authority Ordinance, 2016 for a further period of 120 days.
• Moved by the Minister of State for Information Technology, the House adopted a resolution condemning the incidents of honour killing.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers spoke on three Points of Order consuming five minutes of the sitting.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted.