KP Assembly Adopts Five Resolutions, Passes One Bill

ISLAMABAD, May 27, 2016: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly adopted five resolutions and passed one bill during 5th (last) sitting of its 18th session, observes Free and Fair Election Network in its Daily Factsheet on Friday.

The sitting started 46 minutes behind the schedule amid the presence of 39 (31%) legislators at the start and 47 (38%) at the adjournment of sitting.

The Deputy Speaker orally presented the performance of the House during 3rd parliamentary year.

Following are some key observations of the Assembly proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

  • The KP Assembly met for an hour and 27 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1546 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
  • 39 lawmakers (31%) were present at the start and 47 (38%) at the end of the sitting.
  • Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
  • The Chief Minister attended the sitting for 45 minutes while the Opposition Leader was not present.
  • Parliamentary leaders of ANP and PML-N were present.
  • Two minority members attended the sitting.
  • Nine members applied for leave.

Output

  • The House adopted five resolutions i.e. to end load-shedding during Ramadan, withdraw tax imposed on contractors in the province, form women caucus in the provincial assembly, condemn US drone attack in Pakistan and observe the start of Holy month of Ramadan on same day throughout the country.
  • The House passed the KP Appointment of GAVI Employees Bill 2016.
  • Two reports – one of Standing Committee on Health Department and other of Public Accounts Committee on the account of eight districts of KPK – were presented in the House.
  • The Galiyat Development Authority Ordinance 2016 was deferred on request of Minister for Local Government.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • The Chair admitted an Adjournment Motion (AM) about conflict among people of two separate areas of Kohistan. JUI-F lawmaker, the sponsor of this AM, and Provincial Minister for Law spoke on it for ten minutes.
  • The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) regarding involvement of an NGO in the affairs of Text Book Board and non-implementation on the commitment made during the last budget for upgrading the scale and enhance salaries of civil servants.
  • A PTI’s lawmaker privilege motion was taken up by the House which was regarding misbehaviour of Principal Khyber Medial College with him.

Order and Institutionalization

  • Four Points of Order consumed 17 minutes of the sitting.

Transparency

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
  •  The attendance of lawmakers was not available to the observers and media.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the KP Assembly proceeding conducted by United Rural Development Organization (URDO) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted