ISLAMABAD, October 1, 2013: The Balochistan Assembly witnessed no business on the agenda amid the absence of key members as the proceedings were marred by exchange of harsh words between the treasury and the opposition benches during the third sitting of the sixth session on Tuesday.

The Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chief Minister and the Leader of Opposition did not attend the sitting as there was no business on the orders of the day. The House offered Fateha for the victims of bomb blast in Peshawar.

JUI-F and ANP legislators staged a 24-minute walkout over the absence of agenda. As the members of the PkMAP and ANP legislators exchanged harsh words over the absence of agenda, the proceedings were adjourned for 19 minutes.

Lawmakers spoke on 19 points of order consuming 58 minutes of the proceedings.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Balochistan Assembly met for two hours and 17minutes.
• The House was adjourned for 19 minutes as the Members scuffle over the absence of business on the agenda.
• The sitting witnessed a delay of 52 minutes by starting at 1152 hours against the scheduled start time of 1100 hours.
• A maximum 36 Members were present at the outset of the sitting and 17 at the end.
• Both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were absent.
• The entire sitting was chaired by a member of panel of chairpersons.
• The Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the proceedings.
• The Parliamentary Leaders of PML-Q (both opposition and government) and PkMAP were present.
• Five Members applied for leave.
• Three minority Members attended the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• There was no business on the agenda.
• The House offered a Fateha for the victims of bomb blast in Peshawar, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.

Order and Institutionalization

• Lawmakers spoke on 19 points of order consuming 58 minutes of the proceedings.
• Legislators of JUI-F and ANP staged a 24-minute walkout from the House as there was no business on the orders of the day.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on legislators’ attendance was not available to the 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.