ISLAMABAD, April 8, 2019: The Opposition in Provincial Assembly of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) demanded the government to share details of amendments in the Local Government Act, 2013 and take it into confidence on them, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Monday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 12^th sitting of the sixth session:

Members’ Participation

• The Assembly met for two hours and 19 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1445 hours against the scheduled time of 1330 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker was absent.
• The Leader of the House was not present.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and five minutes.
• As many as 39 MPAs (31%) were present at the outset while 44 (35%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The Parliamentary Leaders of ANP and MMAP attended the proceedings.
• As many as one out of three minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

• The House witnessed introduction of two government bills including the KP Youth Welfare Endowment Fund Bill, 2019 and the Youth Development Commission Bill, 2019. Both bills were moved by the Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Science and Information Technology.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House debated the proposed LG system and allocation as well as release of funds to existing system. Ten lawmakers – PTI (four), & MMAP (three) and PML-N, PPP & ANP (one each) – participated in the discussion that continued for an hour and 19 minutes.
• The Minister for Industries and Special Assistant to Chief Minister responded to two Call Attention Notices (CANs) regarding recruitment in Sarhad Rural Support Programe (SRSP) in violation of merit and illegal appointment in a Government Higher Secondary School, Samar Bagh in Temar Garah. These CANs were raised by lawmakers belonging to PML-N and ANP respectively.
• The House did not take up another CAN due to absence of its mover which was regarding dilapidated conditions of Shahra-e-Resham.
• A PTI lawmaker moved a privilege motion against the officials of Auqaf department. The Chair did not refer it to the Committee and ensure to review it.

Order and Institutionalization

• As many as nine lawmakers spoke on Points of Order consuming 19 minutes of the proceedings.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on April 9, 2019 (Tuesday) at 1330 hours.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ is available to the legislators, observers and others.
• The attendance of lawmakers is not available to the observers and media.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the KP Assembly proceeding conducted by United Rural Development Organization (URDO) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted