44% female, 31% male MNAs participate in 38-hour general budget debate

ISLAMABAD, July 6, 2010: Only about one-third of the Members of the National Assembly (114 out of 340) took part in discussion and debate on the Federal Budget during the 23rd Session of the National Assembly, held June 3-30, 2010, according to a new report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), and many MNAs who did take part in the budget debate focused on extraneous political and other issues, including general comments about terrorism and power shortages.

 
Details

Low attendance marks 21st sitting of 23rd NA session

ISLAMABAD, June 30, 2010: In the last sitting of the 23rd session, the National Assembly met for a total of 04 hours and 18 minutes with low attendance of members. The quorum was visibly lacking at various stages of the sitting, but the lack of quorum was not pointed out by any of the members, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on the National Assembly Proceedings.

 
Details

Points of Order Consume 71% Time of 20th Sitting

ISLAMABAD, June 29, 2010: National Assembly in the twentieth sitting met for a total of 02 hours and 28 minutes with low presence of members. There were only 35 members present at the outset, while 64 were present at the end. The quorum was visibly lacking at various stages of the sitting, but the lack of quorum was not pointed out by any of the members, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on the National Assembly Proceedings.

 
Details

Low attendance marks 19th sitting of 23rd NA session

ISLAMABAD, June 28, 2010: The nineteenth sitting of the 23rd Session was marked by low attendance of the members, with only 58 present at the outset. The Benazir Income Support Programme Bill, 2009 was passed by the National Assembly after thorough debates and deliberations during the sitting. The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 40 minutes, while the Leader of Opposition was absent, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on the National Assembly Proceedings.

 
Details

National Assembly accepts the Finance Bill, 2010 by majority

ISLAMABAD, June 25, 2010: The eighteenth sitting of the budget session witnessed relatively high presence of members with a maximum 63 present attendance. The long stretched sitting voted on the Finance Bill, 2010, which was eventually approved by the House with a majority vote. Members of PML staged a token walkout on non-approval of their demands, the walkout ended after 5 minutes, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on the National Assembly Proceedings.

 
Details

National Assembly rejects 396 cut motions by majority

ISLAMABAD, June 24, 2010: The seventeenth sitting of the 23rd Session with a relatively high presence of members approved demands for grants for 18 institutions of various ministries and rejected 396 cut motions by a majority vote, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on the National Assembly Proceedings.

 
Details

More members attended 16th sitting to decide demands for grants

ISLAMABAD, June 23, 2010: The Sixteenth sitting of the 23rd Session witnessed relatively high presence of members as the National Assembly initiated the consideration for the demands for grants. As the proceedings came to its conclusion, the demands for grants to 165 institutions of various ministries were unanimously accepted, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on the National Assembly Proceedings.

 
Details

National Assembly continues debate on the Budgetary Proposals

ISLAMABAD, June 22, 2010: The Fifteenth sitting of the 23rd Session lasted 3 Hours and 19 minutes, with 151 members present at the outset and 156 members at the end, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on the National Assembly Proceedings.

 
Details

Low-attendance 14th sitting continues debate on budget

ISLAMABAD, June 19, 2010: The 14th sitting of the 23rd Session debated on the budgetary proposals for a total of 317 minutes. The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 32 minutes, while the Leader of Opposition was absent. The sitting was marked by low attendance with only 31 members present at the outset and 29 present at the end, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on National Assembly proceedings.

 
Details

262-Minute debate on budget in low attendance 13th Sitting

ISLAMABAD, June 18, 2010: The 13th sitting of the 23rd Session debated on the budgetary proposals for a total of 262 minutes. The Prime Minister attended the sitting briefly for 8 minutes, while the Leader of Opposition was absent. The sitting was marked by low attendance with only 37 members present at the outset and 36 present at the end, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on National Assembly proceedings.

 
Details