ISLAMABAD, August 12, 2020: The 24^th session of Balochistan Assembly was prorogued on Wednesday after holding debate on issues at Pak-Afghan border in Chaman as well as law and order situation in Khuzdar, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during fourth sitting of 24^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for five hours and 50 minutes. However, the proceedings remained suspended for 37 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1720 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
• The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting in the absence of Speaker.
• The Leaders of the House (Chief Minister) and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 15 MPAs (23%) were present at the outset and 17 (26%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of ANP, BNP-M, PTI, PkMAP, BNP-A and JWP attended the proceedings.
• Two out of three minority lawmakers were absent

Output

• Parliamentary Secretary for Finance presented three audit reports related to various departments and two NFC reports for the period July to December 2018 and January to June 2019.
• The Annual Report of Balochistan Public Service Commission for the year 2018 was also presented in the House.
• Tabled by a BAP lawmaker, the House adopted a resolution to express satisfaction over steps in the country for protection of minorities’ rights. Six lawmakers debated this resolution for 26 minutes.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The Provincial Minister for Education responded to a Calling Attention Notice regarding plan to re-open schools amid threats of coronavirus and induction of qualified teachers in educational institutions.
• The House took up five out of 12 starred questions while remaining seven questions were deferred. In addition, lawmakers also asked eight supplementary questions.
• A commenced adjournment motion regarding situation at Pak-Afghan border in Chaman and other regarding law and order situation in Khuzdar were clubbed. Ten lawmakers spoke on these motions for an hour and 49 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• Nine lawmakers spoke on points of order for 57 minutes.
• The Session was prorogued sine die.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Attendance of the lawmakers was not available to the observers and media.

This 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 excepted