KP Assembly Condemns US Recognition of Golan Heights as Israeli Territory

ISLAMABAD, March 29, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) adopted a supplementary resolution against the United States’ (US) recognition of Syrian Golan Heights as Israeli territory, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Friday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during eighth sitting of the sixth session:

Members’ Participation

  • The Assembly met for an hour and seven minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 23 minutes due to lack of quorum.
  • The sitting started at 1401 hours against the scheduled time of 1330 hours.
  • A member of Panel of Chairpersons presided over the entire sitting in the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
  • The Leaders of the House and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
  • As many as 13 MPAs (10%) were present at the outset while 33 (26%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • None of the parliamentary leaders attended the proceedings.
  • All three minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

  • Jointly moved by the lawmakers belonging to ANP, PTI and PPP, the House unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the United States’ recognition of the Syrian Golan Heights as Israel territory.
  • An ANP lawmaker moved a resolution recommending the government to unblock the National Identity Cards of the people belonging to PK-16 Lower Dir-IV. However, the House did not proceed to voting on the resolution after the Minister for Minerals’ assurance that the matter would be resolved soon.
  • The House did not take up any of the scheduled agenda items including a Privilege Motion, a government bill, three Calling Attention Notices (CANs), and the scheduled discussions on the deteriorated law and order situation in the province, and the inflation.

Order and Institutionalization

  • As many as seven lawmakers spoke on Points of Order consuming 20 minutes of the proceedings.
  • The lawmakers belonging to ANP and PTI pointed out the lack of quorum at 1407 hours that led to the suspension of the proceedings for 23 minutes.
  • The House was adjourned to meet again on April 01, 2019 at 1330 hours.

Transparency

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ is available to the legislators, observers and others.
  • The attendance of lawmakers is 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