ISLAMABAD, November 19, 2012: Starting 43 minutes behind the scheduled time, the sixth sitting of the 47^th session passed two Bills, and adopted a Resolution condemning the killing of a Dunya TV correspondent in Panjor, Balochistan.

The 167-minute sitting was presided over by a Member of Panel of the Chairpersons as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker did not attend the sitting. Additionally, the Leader of the Opposition also remained absent. However, the Prime Minister was there for 42 minutes.

Eleven of the 24 Starred Questions appearing on the agenda were raised and responded to by the relevant ministries. Additionally, 24 supplementary questions were also asked.

PMLN legislators staged a two-minute walkout over non-releasing of development funds.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 47 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1743 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1700 hours, witnessing 43 minutes delay.
• The sitting was chaired by a member of the Panel of Chairpersons while the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker did not attend the sitting.
• The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 42 minutes. The leader of the Opposition remained absent.
• Only the Parliamentary leaders of PPPS and BNPA were present.
• The chief whips of the PPPP, PPPS, BNPA, and ANP attended the sitting while those of PML, PMLF and MQM were absent.
• Fifty members were present at the start while 32 were there at the adjournment of the sitting. A maximum of 168 members were present at one point of the sitting.
• Nine Minority members attended the sitting.
• Seven members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Eleven of the 24 Starred Questions appearing on the agenda were raised and responded to by the relevant ministries. Additionally, 24 supplementary questions were also asked.
• Two Calling Attention Notices appearing on the Orders of the Day were taken up by the House. One was about the size fixing of hoardings and billboards in Islamabad, and the other was about the non-release of funds for PWP-I and PWP-II.
• A Motion under Rule 259 regarding law and order in the country was not taken up for further discussion.

Output

• Two bills – the Validation Bill 2012 and the Trade Organizations Bill 2012 – were passed by the House.
• A condemnation Resolution over the killing of a Dunya TV correspondent in Panjor, Balochistan was adopted by the House.
• Another Resolution to condemn Israel’s attacks on Gaza was deferred till the next sitting.

Order and Institutionalization

• Fourteen Points of Order consumed 26 minutes of the sitting time. However, none of the Points of Order raised attracted the Chair’s formal ruling.
• PMLN legislators staged a two-minute walkout over non-releasing of development funds.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a member organization of FAFEN