ISLAMABAD, July 23, 2020: The National Assembly was adjourned on Thursday amid lack of quorum and opposition’s walkout from the proceedings against the government’s move to lay an Ordinance in the House, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during the 10^th sitting of 23^rd session:

 Members’ Participation

• The Assembly met for two hours and 52 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1127 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for 54 minutes while remaining sitting was chaired by a Member of Panel of Chairpersons.
• The Leaders of House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• The Parliamentary Leader of PML-N and PPPP attended the sitting.
• As many as 49 lawmakers (14%) were present at the outset and 46 (13%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• Five out of 10 minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• The House did not consider the legislative business and four motions for consideration of as many pending bills in the joint sitting of the Parliament. However, the Chair informed the House about a Parliamentary Committee constituted to give recommendations about addressing legislative business pending in Senate and National Assembly.
• Tabled by Advisor to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, the House passed a motion authorizing Speaker National Assembly to nominate MNAs in the Parliamentary Committee constituted to give recommendations about addressing pending bills.
• An ordinance –the International Court of Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Ordinance, 2020 – was not laid in the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding alleged maltreatment by new administration of National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) G-8/2, Islamabad with the doctors, staff and lack of treatment to the patients.
• A motion under Rule 259 regarding privatization policy of the government was not discussed while another CAN on the agenda also remained unaddressed.
• The House took up 11 out of 55 starred questions during the question hour while lawmakers also asked 19 supplementary questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• Four lawmakers including Minister for Human Rights and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs spoke on points of order for 21 minutes. Advisor to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs also raised a point of order consuming two minutes of the proceedings.
• A PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1331 hours following which the opposition lawmakers left the House and proceedings remained suspended for 46 minutes. On resumption of the proceedings, the quorum was found incomplete and the House was adjourned to meet again on July 24, 2020 at 1100 hours.

 Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of lawmakers is available on the National Assembly’s website

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