Balochistan Assembly Transacts Entire Business

ISLAMABAD, May 7, 2016: The Provincial Assembly of Balochistan transacted entire private members’ business appearing on the ‘Orders of the Day’ during second sitting of its 28th session on Saturday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Some key observations are as follows:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

  • The Balochistan Assembly met for two hours and 11 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1611 hours against scheduled time of 1600 hours.
  • Sixteen (25%) lawmakers were present at the start and 15 (24%) at the time of adjournment of sitting.
  • The Speaker chaired the sitting for 90 minutes while the remaining time was presided by a Member of Panel of Chairpersons.
  • The post of Deputy Speaker is lying vacant.
  • The Chief Minister was absent.
  • The Leader of Opposition attended the sitting for 89 minutes.
  • Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, ANP, JUI-F, PML and NP were present.
  • Two minority members attended the sitting.
  • Two members applied for leave.

Output

  • Tabled by PML lawmaker, the House adopted a resolution urging the government to contact federal government for construction of western route of roads from Zoab Mir Ali Khail to Kajur Kach. One member spoke on it for six minutes.
  • Tabled by Opposition Leader, the House adopted another resolution regarding the route of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Earlier the same was tabled as Adjournment Motion and five members spoke on it for 32 minutes.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • An Adjournment Motion appearing on the supplementary agenda was not taken up due to absence of its mover.
  • The House held discussion on the allegation of corruption and arrest of the Provincial Secretary Finance. Seven members shared there view for 63 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

  • Members spoke on two Points of Order consuming seven minutes of the proceeding
  • The opposition parties walked out of the House at 1740 hours on the issue of corruption in the province and did not came back till the end of sitting at 1822 hours.

Transparency

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
  • Attendance of Members was not made public.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Balochistan Assembly proceeding conducted by Center for Peace and Development (CPD) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.