ISLAMABAD, December 20, 2012: The National Assembly, which met for four hours, unanimously passed the Investigation for Fair Trial Bill 2012 in the ninth sitting of the 48^th session.

The Standing Committee on Law and Justice presented its report on the bill which was passed after incorporating 31 of the 33 amendments proposed by the Opposition.

Five annual reports of the Council of Islamic Ideology were also presented before the House.

Though there were 39 questions on the Orders of the Day, the Question Hour was not held as the relevant ministries had not provided answers to 25 questions. Over this issue, the legislators of PMLN, MQM and ANP staged a 10-minute walkout. The Chair referred the matter of ministries not providing answers to the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges.

The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for three hours and 55 minutes. The Speaker was not present. The Prime Minister attended the sitting for two hours and 29 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and 47 minutes.

Thirty-two Points of Order (POs) consumed 75 minutes of the sitting time.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The National Assembly met for four hours.
• The sitting started at 1110 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1100 hours, witnessing a delay of 10 minutes.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the entire sitting but five minutes; which was chaired by a member of the Panel of Chairpersons. The Speaker was not present.
• The Prime Minister attended the sitting for two hours and 29 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and 47 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of NPP, BNPA and PPPS were present while those of MQM, MMAP, ANP, and PMLF were absent.
• The chief whips of PPPP, PMLN, ANP, NPP, PPPS and BNPA were present while those of MQM, MMAP, PML and PMLF did not attend the sitting.
• Eighty-six members (26% of the total membership) were present at the outset while 124 (37%) were there at the time of adjournment.  A maximum of 172 (51%) members were present at one point of the sitting.
• Nine minority members attended the sitting.
• Fifteen members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Though there were 39 questions on the Orders of the Day, the Question Hour was not held as the relevant ministries had not provided answers to 25 questions.
• None of the two Calling Attention Notices appearing on the Orders of the Day was taken up.

Output

• The Standing Committee Report about the Investigation for Fair Trial Bill 2012 was presented.
• The House unanimously passed the Investigation for Fair Trial Bill 2012. Thirty-one of the 33 amendments proposed by the Opposition were incorporated in the bill.
• Five annual reports of the Council of Islamic Ideology were presented before the House.

Order and Institutionalization

• Thirty-two points of order (POs) consumed 75 minutes of the sitting time.
• The legislators belonging to PMLN, MQM and ANP staged a 10-minute walkout for not getting replies to 25 of the 39 starred questions appearing on the agenda.
  

Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was not available to observers and the public.
  

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI); a member organization of FAFEN