ISLAMABAD, June 23, 2013: General debate on the annual budget continued in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly as 21 MPAs shared their views during the fifth sitting of the second session on Sunday. The sitting was delayed by an hour and three minutes.

The Speaker presided over the entire sitting as members belonging to PMLN, PTI, JUIF, JI, QWP, ANP and AJIP spoke on the provincial budget for three hours and 50 minutes.

The Chief Minister and the Minister for Finance were also present during the entire sitting. Additionally, the parliamentary leaders of JUIF, JI, QWP, ANP and AJIP also attended the sitting.

A PPPP female MPA staged a three minute walkout protesting over a male colleague’s remarks.

Law makers spoke on four Points of Order consuming seven minutes.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The KP Assembly met for four hours and 50 minutes. The House took a 54-minute break.
• The sitting started at 1103 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing the delay of an hour and three minutes.
• The Speaker chaired the entire sitting. The Deputy Speaker was also present.
• The Chief Minister and the Minister for Finance were present throughout the proceedings.
• The parliamentary leaders of PMLN, JUIF, JI, QWP, ANP, AJIP and the only member of APML attended the sitting.
• As many as 42 members were present at the outset while 51 were there at the end of the sitting. A maximum of 66 members were present at one point of sitting.
• One minority member attended the sitting.
• Eight members applied for leave.
  

Representation and Responsiveness

• As many as 21 members debated the annual budget for three hours and 50 minutes. Five members belonging to PMLN and PTI debated for 61 and 33 minutes, respectively, followed by three members each of JUIF (22 minutes) and QWP (25 minutes), two members each of JI (44 minutes) and AJIP (27 minutes) and an ANP member shared his view for 18 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• A PPPP female, disgruntled over a colleague’s remark, staged a three minute walkout.
• MPAs raised four Points of Orders consuming seven minutes of the sitting time.
  

Transparency

• List of Business was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.

 

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of KP Assembly proceedings conducted by PAIMAN Alumni Trust, a member organization of FAFEN