NA Sitting Adjourned due to Lack of Quorum

ISLAMABAD, January 22, 2018:  The National Assembly was adjourned on Monday due to lack of quorum without taking up any of the agenda item, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are key observations of the proceedings during seventh sitting of the 51st Session:

Members’ Participation

  • The National Assembly met for an hour and six minutes while the sitting remained suspended for 55 minutes due to lack of quorum.
  • The sitting started at 1616 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
  • The Speaker presided over the sitting for nine minutes while Deputy Speaker chaired the remaining proceedings.
  • The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
  • As many as 34 (10%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 69 (20%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • The parliamentary leader of PPPP attended the sitting.
  • Three minority members were present.

Output

  • The House did not take up the legislative agenda, two motions for the presentation of a Standing Committee’s reports and a statutory report.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • The House did not address two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) and a Motion of Thanks to the President for his address to the Parliament.
  • The Question Hour was also not observed.

Order and Institutionalization

.A PTI lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1625 hours which led to the suspension of the proceedings for 55 minutes. The sitting did not resume again and the Deputy Speaker announced to adjourn the sitting till January 23 at 1030 hours.

Transparency

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
  • Attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.

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