ISLAMABAD, October 4, 2016: The National Assembly adopted three Private Members’ resolutions including a resolution against forced conversions and marriages of Hindu women, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet on Tuesday.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during seventh sitting of the 36^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 51 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1031 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 16 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
• The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for 20 minutes.
• Thirteen lawmakers (4%) were present at outset while 79 (23%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PkMAP, JI, BNP-A, APML, AMLP, QWP-S and ANP attended the sitting.
• Eight minority members were present.

Output

• Moved by MQM lawmakers, the House referred the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to the relevant standing committee.
• A member of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat presented the report of the committee on the Un-attended Orphans (Rehabilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2016.
• Twenty-one lawmakers discussed a resolution regarding special quota for Islamabad domiciled persons. The discussion consumed 33 minutes after which the House referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat.
• The House adopted three resolutions urging the government to stop forced conversions and marriages of Hindu women, rename Swat Airport after Maj. Gen. Sanaullah Khan Niazi Shaheed and speed up construction of Diamer Bhasha Dam. Nine lawmakers spoke for ten minutes on resolution regarding forced conversions.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up two Calling Attention Notices regarding sub-standard medicines and new charges on electricity consumers to meet up security costs of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
• The House did not take up five motions under Rule 259 appearing on Orders of the Day.

Order and Institutionalization

• Lawmakers spoke on 29 Points of Order consuming an hour and 12 minutes of the proceedings.
• Lawmakers belonging to ANP, PTI, JI, PkMAP and FATA staged a five-minute long token walkout against depriving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of CPEC’s benefits.
• Lawmakers belonging to JUI-F staged a nine-minute long walkout against remarks of a PTI lawmaker about JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl-u-Rehman.

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 proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted.