ISLAMABAD, November 7, 2019: The National Assembly passed nine government bills after skipping their mandatory three readings and two other legislative proposals as reported by the relevant standing committees, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Thursday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during first sitting of 16^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 36 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 28 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1622 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the entire sitting in the absence of Speaker.
• The Leaders of the House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 35 (10%) were present at the outset and 59 (17%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of AMLP and BAP attended the sitting.
• Seven out of 10 minority lawmakers were present.

Output

• The House passed nine bills after their presentation in the House as Ordinances. According to Rule 120 (6), an Ordinance laid before the Assembly shall be deemed to be a Bill introduced in the Assembly on the day it is so laid.

• The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business were dispensed through passage of motions for immediate consideration of the nine bills following which these were passed after voice voting amid Opposition’s protest. Two of these passed bills appearing on the regular agenda were the Medical Tribunal Bill, 2019 and the Pakistan Medical Commission Bill, 2019 while seven others appearing on the supplementary agenda were the Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Bill, 2019; the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Bill, 2019;the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Bill, 2019; the Superior Courts (Court Dress and Mode of Address) Order (Repeal) Bill, 2019; the Benami Transaction (Prohibition) (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill, 2019.
• Two bills passed by the House as reported by their relevant Standing Committees were the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Bill, 2019. These bills appeared on the regular agenda and were also passed through voice voting.
• Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs laid the Recovery of Mortgage-backed Security Ordinance, 2019.
• Four bills were referred to the relevant committees after their introduction which were the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Bill, 2019; the National Highways Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• The House adopted three resolutions through voice voting to extend the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority Ordinance, 2019, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 and the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 for a further period of 120 days with effect from November 9, 2019.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat presented report of Committee on the Federal Public Service Commission (Validation of Rules) Bill, 2018.

 Representation and Institutionalization

• The House did not consider two Calling Attention Notices, motions of thanks and a statutory report. 

Order and Institutionalization

• The Opposition lawmakers protested in front of the dais of the Chair for 29 minutes against hasty passage of the bills and reliance of the government on Ordinances for legislation.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on November 8, 2019 (Friday) at 1100 hours.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of the lawmakers is available on the National Assembly’s website.

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