NA Adopts Resolution Against Ethnic Stereotyping

ISLAMABAD, February 15, 2018: The National Assembly adopted a resolution on Thursday recommending the government to ensure that no nationality or ethnicity was stereotyped as terrorist or evil, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during fourth sitting of the 52^nd session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 26 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1038 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for 58 minutes while a member of the Panel of Chairpersons presided over the rest of the proceedings.
• The Deputy Speaker did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) was not present.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for an hour and four minutes.
• As many as 34 (10%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 44 (13%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, APML, PPPP, BNP-A, AJIP and QWP attended the sitting.
• As many as four minority members were present.

Output

• Moved by a PTI lawmaker, the House adopted the resolution recommending the government to ensure that no nationality or cultural identity was linked to terrorism or other sociocultural evils.
• The House referred the Institute for Art and Culture Bill, 2018 to the relevant standing committee for further deliberations.
• A member of the Standing Committee on Finance presented the reports of the committee on the Establishment of Federal Bank for Cooperatives and Regulation of Cooperative Banking (Repeal) Bill, 2017 and the House Building Finance Corporation (Repeal) Bill, 2017.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House did not take up the Calling Attention Notices (CANs) regarding mal-practices in Utility Stores and portrayal of peaceful pashtoons as terrorists in a recent mock anti-terrorist operation exercise in Multan.
• The House initiated the debate on the Presidential Address to the Parliament on June 1, 2017. The Leader of the Opposition participated in the debate consuming 36 minutes.
• The House took up nine out of 30 Starred Questions for answers during the Question Hour. The lawmakers asked 24 supplementary questions as well.

Order and Institutionalization

• Four lawmakers spoke on as many Points of Order consuming 23 minutes of the proceedings.

Transparency

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

Related posts