NA Debates Supplementary Budget, Condemns Firing on AJK PM’s Helicopter

ISLAMABAD, October 1, 2018: The National Assembly continued debate on the Supplementary Budget and adopted a resolution to condemn Indian firing on the helicopter of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Monday.

Following are key observations of the House proceeding during the seventh sitting of second session:

Members’ Participation

  • The National Assembly met for three hours and four minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 31 minutes due to prayer break.
  • The sitting started at 1702 hours against the scheduled time of 1630 hours.
  • The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 33 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 two hours and 23 minutes.
  • As many as 108 lawmakers (32%) were present at outset and 96 (28%) at adjournment of the sitting.
  • The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MMAP, PML, BNP-M, JWP, PML-N and BAP attended the sitting.
  • As many as six out of 10 minority lawmakers were present.

Output

  • Tabled by the Leader of the Opposition, the House unanimously adopted a supplementary resolution to condemn the firing on the civilian helicopter of the AJK Prime Minister. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs spoke on this resolution for two minutes.

Representation and Responsiveness  

  • As many as six lawmakers participated in the discussion on the Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The discussion continued for an hour and 31 minutes.
  • Minister for Power Division responded to a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding loss of lives of two persons and amputation of eight years old boy as a result of sever electric shock due to falling of high-tension wires in Karachi.
  • Minister of State for Communication made a statement on a CAN regarding termination of the services of about 2000 employees working in National Highway Authority for more than twenty years.
  • Tabled by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, the House passed a motion to defer the agenda of Private Member’s Day and to consider the government business.

 Order and Institutionalization

  • As many as seven lawmakers spoke on ten points of order for 17 minutes.
  • The House was adjourned to meet again on October 2, 2018 (Tuesday) at 1000 hours.

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.