ISLAMABAD, June 22, 2016: The National Assembly approved the Finance Bill, 2016 and 112 Supplementary Demands for Grants  for financial year 2015-16 on Wednesday during 17^th sitting of 33^rd session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following the conclusion of the business, the session was prorogued.

Below are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for seven hours and 41 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1129 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for three hours and 23 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for four hours and 11 minutes.
• The Finance Minister attended the entire sitting.
• 105 MNAs (30%) were present at outset and 95 (27%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of MQM, PkMAP, JI, PML-F, BNP-A, AMLP, ANP and QWP-S attended the sitting.
• Ten minority members were present.

Output

• The House approved four Demands for Grants of the ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources.  The opposition withdrew its Cut Motions on these demands.
• Moved by Finance Minister, the House passed the Finance Bill, 2016 with majority vote. Thirteen lawmakers – PPPP and PTI (three each), MQM and JI (two each) and AMLP, BNP-A and Independent (one each) – discussed the bill for two hours and 42 minutes.
• The House also approved 112 Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2015-16.
• The Finance Minister laid before the House the Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2016-17 and the Supplementary Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2015-16.
• Moved by Minister for Law & Justice, the House adopted a resolution to extend the term of the National Command Authority Ordinance, 2016 for a further period of 120 days.
• Moved by the Minister of State for Information Technology, the House adopted a resolution condemning the incidents of honour killing.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers spoke on three Points of Order consuming five minutes of the sitting.

Transparency

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

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This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted.