ISLAMABAD, August 6, 2015: MQM and JUI-F lawmakers withdrew their motions under rule 44 to deseat 28 PTI lawmakers for their absence without leave from the Lower House for forty consecutive days of its sittings, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Thursday.

The sitting started 85 minutes behind the schedule with 128 legislators (37%) present at the start and 48 (14%) at the time of adjournment. The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 59 minutes.

Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination moved a motion to suspend the other agenda of the House except for two motions under Rule 44 to deseat the PTI lawmakers.

The suspended agenda included two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) and question hour. MQM and JUI-F lawmakers moved separate motions seeking withdrawal of their motions under Rule 44, which were passed by the House.

Ten lawmakers – two from PML-N and one each from MQM, AMLP,  JUI-F, PkMAP, PML-Z, JI, PPPP and an Independent lawmaker – expressed their views on withdrawal of two motions under Rule 44 for 98 minutes.

Tabled by JUI-F parliamentary leader, the House unanimously adopted a resolution regarding renewing the commitment to ensure sovereignty of the Parliament.

Some key observations are as follows:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The National Assembly met for two hours and three minutes
• The sitting started at 1155 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours
• The Speaker chaired the entire sitting while the Deputy Speaker was also present
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
•  The Opposition Leader was present for 59 minutes
• One hundred and 28 members (37%) were present at the start and 48 (14%) at the end of the sitting. As many as 208 lawmakers (61%) were present at one point of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leader of PML did not attend the sitting.
• Six out of 10 minority members attended the sitting.
• None of the member applied for leave.

Output

• Tabled by JUI-F parliamentary leader, the House unanimously adopted a resolution regarding renewing the commitment to ensure sovereignty of the Parliament.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• The House did not take up two CANs; one regarding failure to regularize services of the deceased employees’ children working in the Federal Secretariat and the other one about non-implementation of 5% quota in jobs for non-Muslims.
• The House passed two separate motions moved by MQM and JUI-F lawmakers seeking withdrawal of their motions under Rule 44 to deseat 28 PTI lawmakers over their absence without leave from the House for 40 consecutive days.
•  The Question Hour was not observed.

Order and Institutionalization

• No Point of Order was raised during the sitting.

 Transparency

•  ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others

To download the factsheet, click here

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This 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. Errors and omissions are excepted.