ISLAMABAD, October 21, 2021: The National Assembly addressed 82 percent agenda and was adjourned amid lack of quorum on Thursday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during 5th sitting of the 37th session:

 Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 10 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 57 minutes due to lack of quorum.
• The sitting started at 04:29 pm against the scheduled time of 04:00 pm.
• The deputy speaker presided over the entire sitting in the absence of speaker.
• The leaders of the house (Prime Minister) and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 60 (18 percent) lawmakers were present at the outset and 51 (15 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML, MQM, PML-N and BAP attended the sitting.
• Five minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• The House adopted two resolutions to grant extension of 120 days to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Ordinance, 2021 and the Pakistan Airports Authority Ordinance, 2021 with effect from November 3, 2021.
• Three Ordinances were laid in the House which were the Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021; the Tax Laws (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.
• The House witnessed presentation of eight reports of Standing Committees on as many legislative proposals.
• Advisor to Prime Minister on parliamentary affairs moved the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021 but it could not be considered for passage.
• A bill – the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 – was not taken up.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House neither observed question hour nor took up two calling attention notices.
• The House passed 15 motions for consideration of as many bills in the joint sitting of the Parliament.
• A motion of thanks to the President for his address to Parliament was not taken up.

 Order and Institutionalization

• A PML-N lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 04:46 pm following which the proceedings remained suspended for 57 minutes.
• Another PML-N lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 06:34 pm which was found incomplete upon counting.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on Friday, October 22, 2021 at 11:00 am.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of lawmakers was available to media and observers.

 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