National Assembly Transacts 71 Percent Agenda during 9th Session

    • 169 lawmakers remain inactive during the proceedings
    • Private Members’ Bill passed to increase representation to ex-FATA

ISLAMABAD, May 16, 2019: The National Assembly transacted 71 percent of its scheduled business during its ninth session with 173 lawmakers participating in the proceedings. The House passed one private members’ bill to increase representation of ex-FATA in National and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies while it also witnessed introduction of 26 other private members’ bills during the session that continued between April 22 and May 13, 2019.

The regular and supplementary agenda brought before the House during ninth session comprised 44 private members’ bill and 17 government bills, 14 resolutions, 20 Calling Attention Notices (CANs), ten standing committee reports, 11 motions under Rule-259, a motion of thanks and four amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in National Assembly .

Of 342 lawmakers, 173 (51 percent) including 126 men and 47 women contributed to the proceedings of the House by sponsoring various parliamentary interventions and/or contributing in the debates. Among the participating lawmakers, 60 belonged to PTI, 50 to PML-N, 32 to PPPP, 13 to MMAP, four to BNP-M, two each to BAP, GDA and Independent and one of PML.

On the other hand, as many as 169 (49 percent) lawmakers including 147 men and 22 women did not participate in the proceedings throughout the session. The lawmakers who did not participate in the proceedings belonged to PTI (97), PML-N (34), PPPP (22), PML (4), MMAP and BAP (3), two Independents and one each of AMLP, ANP, GDA and JWP.

The House proceedings commenced with an average delay of 23 minutes in each sitting while none of the sitting started on its scheduled time. The maximum delay of 43 minutes was witnessed during 12th sitting. The shortest sitting during the session i.e. 10th sitting, continued for an hour and 23 minutes, whereas the longest sitting i.e. sixth sitting, continued for four hours and 20 minutes.

Though the question of quorum did not surface throughout the session, the proceedings were interrupted on six occasions by the opposition lawmakers’ protests. They took exception to the remarks of various cabinet members and hike in petroleum prices. As many as two sittings were adjourned while the protests and sloganeering were underway in the House.

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