• Session prorogued

ISLAMABAD, April 23, 2021: The 32nd session of the National Assembly (NA) was prorogued on Friday without transacting its agenda amid protest of opposition lawmakers, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during fourth sitting of 32nd session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for 23 minutes.
• The sitting started at 11:45 am against the scheduled time of 11:00 am.
• The deputy speaker presided over the sitting in the absence of the speaker.
• The leaders of the House (Prime Minister) and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 156 (46 percent) lawmakers were present at the outset and 167 (49 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of GDA and PPPP attended the sitting.
• Seven out of ten minority lawmakers were present.

Output

• The House did not consider three reports of standing committees, two calling attention notices and a motion of thanks to the President.

Representation and Responsiveness 

• The House took up two out of 40 starred questions while lawmakers asked two supplementary questions. Three questions were lapsed as their movers refused to move them and wanted discussion on points of order while remaining were not taken up due to early adjournment of sitting.

Order and Institutionalization

• The opposition lawmakers protested for 13 minutes in front of dais of the Chair when he refused to given them floor on points of order during the question hour.
• The session was prorogued sine die.

 Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of the lawmakers is available on the National Assembly’s website.

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