ISLAMABAD, June 12, 2020: The Minister of Industries and Production presented the federal budget for the year 2020-21 in the National Assembly amid opposition’s protest, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet on Friday.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during fifth sitting of 22^nd session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for an hour and 22 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1620 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire proceedings.
• The Deputy Speaker was also present.
• The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) attended the sitting for an hour and 21 minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition was not present.
• As many as 78 lawmakers (23%) were present at the outset and 56 (16%) at the adjournment of sitting. Against the guidelines agreed upon by the treasury and opposition members except the JUI-F, arrangements for more than 86 legislators were made in the House, while less implementation on the Covid-19 SOPs was witnessed.
•  The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, BAP, PPPP, ANP, PML and MMAP attended the sitting.
• Three minority lawmakers were present.

Output

• The Minister for Industries and Production presented before the House the Finance Bill, 2020, the Supplementary Demands for Grants and Appropriations for financial year, 2019-2020 and the Excess Demands for Grants and Appropriations for five financial years. His budget speech consumed an hour and 11 minutes of the proceedings.

   Order and Institutionalization

• The opposition lawmakers, holding placards inscribed with anti-government slogans, protested for an hour and two minutes during the budget speech of the Minister for Industries and Production. They walked out from the proceedings of the House at 1722 hours and did not return to the House till adjournment of the sitting. The House was adjourned to meet again on June 15, 2020 (Monday) at 1600 hours.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.
• The copies of the budget speech were available.

 This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted