ISLAMABAD, June 18, 2012:  Two sittings – seventh and eighth – of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were held on Monday after the first was adjourned only after five minutes due to lack of Quorum. Together the two sittings lasted three hours and 49 minutes.

The seventh sitting was adjourned and another was called for 2pm on the same day. In this sitting, 21 Members (17% of total membership – 124) were present at the start, while 24 (19%) were present when it was adjourned.

Nineteen Members – seven MMAP, four ANP, three PMLN, two each of PPPP and PML, and one PPPS – spoke on the budget for 80 minutes in the eighth sitting. In this sitting, 41 (33%) Members were present at the outset while 50 (40%) were there when the sitting was adjourned.

The Chief Minister remained absent while the Leader of the Opposition attended both the sittings.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Assembly met for only five minutes during the seventh sitting whereas it met for three hours and 44 minutes for the eighth sitting.
• The seventh sitting started at 1037 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1000 hours. The House proceedings started late by 37 minutes.
• The eight sitting started at 1411 against the scheduled starting time of 1400 hours. The proceedings stared late by 11 minutes
• The Speaker chaired both the sittings.
• The Chief Minister remained absent while the Leader of the Opposition attended both the sittings.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PML and PPPS were present.
• In the seventh sitting, 21 Members (17% of total membership – 124) were present at the start, while 24 (19%) were present when it was adjourned.
• In the eighth sitting, 41 (33%) Members were present at the outset while 50 (40%) were there when the sitting was adjourned.
• Two minority Members were present during the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Nineteen Members – seven MMAP, four ANP, three PMLN, two each of PPPP and PML, and one PPPS – spoke on the budget for 80 minutes.
• Due of lack of Quorum, the seventh sitting was suspended till 1400 hours.

Output

• No other Agenda was taken up by the House.

Order and Institutionalization

• No Points of Order were raised during the sitting.
• There were no instances of protests, boycotts and walkouts.

Transparency

• List of Business was available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
• Copies of the budget speech were available to the legislators.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly proceedings conducted by PAIMAN Alumni Trust, a member organization of FAFEN