ISLAMABAD, June 18, 2012: On the third day of general discussion on the budget in the Balochistan Assembly, 26 legislators were present in the House at the start of the sitting and 22 when it was adjourned on Monday.

Nineteen Members – six PPPP, five JUI (Ideological), four PML, two ANP, and one each of BNPA and PML – spoke on the budget for 230 minutes (92% of the sitting time).

The Chief Minister attended the entire sitting.  Additionally, the parliamentary leaders of the ANP, BNPA, JUI, NP, PMLN, PML and PPPP were present.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Balochistan Assembly met for four hours and 10 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1510 hours instead of the scheduled starting time of 1500 hours. The proceedings started 10 minutes late.
• The Speaker chaired the sitting.
• The Chief Minister attended the entire sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of the ANP, BNPA, JUI, NP, PMLN, PML and PPPP were present.
• Twenty-six Members (40% of the total Membership of 65) were present at the start while 22 (34%) were there when the sitting was adjourned.
• Four Members applied for leave to be absent.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Nineteen Members – six PPPP, five JUI (Ideological), four PML, two ANP, and one each of BNPA and PML – spoke on the budget for 230 minutes (92% of the sitting time).

Output

• There was no other formal agenda on the Orders of the Day. 

Order and Institutionalization

• No Points of Order consumed two minutes of sitting time.

• There were no instances of protests, boycotts or walkouts.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Balochistan Assembly proceedings conducted by Center for Peace and Development (CPD), a member organization of FAFEN