ISLAMABAD, December 6, 2014: Starting an hour and seven minutes behind the schedule, the Balochistan Assembly debated deteriorating law and order situation in the province during 2^nd sitting of the 15^th session on Saturday, says Free and Fair Election Network in its daily factsheet.

Six members – two PML-N and one each of JUI-F, NP, PkMAP, and BNP – debated the motion on deteriorating law and order situation for an hour and eight minutes. The motion tabled in the first sitting was the only agenda item of the 2^nd sitting’s list of business.

Seven PML-N members – five male, two females – tabled a privilege motion against the Chief Minister’s statement published in print media on December 1, 2014. The motion was not sent for further probe after the Chief Minister’s explanation.

The Speaker did not attend the sitting while the Deputy Speaker presided over the entire proceedings. The Chief Minister was present while his counterpart, the Leader of the Opposition was absent.

Following are some key observations of the Parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Balochistan Assembly met for an hour and 58 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1207 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and seven minutes.
• There were 36 members at the outset and 33 at the adjournment of sitting. A maximum of 39 members were observed to be present at one point of the sitting.
• The Speaker was not present while the Deputy Speaker presided over the entire (an hour and 58 minutes) proceeding.
• The Chief Minister attended the entire proceedings while the Leader of the Opposition was absent.
• The Parliamentary Leaders of NP, PkMAP, PML-N and PML attended the sitting.
• Three non-Muslim members were present.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Seven PML-N members – five male, two females – tabled a privilege motion against the Chief Minister’s statement published in print media on December 1, 2014. The motion was not sent for further probe after the Chief Minister’s explanation.
• Six members continued the debate on the deteriorating law and order situation for an hour and eight minutes. Two PML-N members expressed their views on the motion, followed by one each member of BNP, NP, JUI-F and PkMAP.

Order and Institutionalization

• MPAs raised four points of orders which consumed five minutes of the sitting.
• No instances of protests, walkouts and boycotts were observed.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

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 The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Balochistan Assembly proceedings conducted by Center for Peace and Development (CPD – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are regretted