ISLAMABAD, February 2, 2021: The National Assembly left two-third agenda unaddressed on Private Members’ Day and referred eleven bills to the relevant standing committees after their introduction, observers Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Tuesday.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during sixth sitting of the 28^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for three hours and 14 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 36 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1624 hours against the scheduled time of 1600 hours.
• The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting in the absence of Speaker.
• The Leaders of the House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 43 (13%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 51 (15%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, GDA, MMAP and PML attended the sitting.
• Six minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• The House witnessed introduction of eleven private members’ bills which were referred to the relevant Standing Committees. These bills were the Port Qasim Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020] (Article-59); the Islamabad beekeeping and Honey Regulation and Production Bill, 2021; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Section 278 and Schedule-II); the Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Islamabad Consumers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (sections 2, 5 and 12); the National Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Authority Bill, 2021; the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the National Poverty Reduction Bill, 2020; the Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• Two motions seeking permission to introduce as many bills were rejected by the House after voice voting. These bills were the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Amendment in Article-66).
• The Chair deferred two bills on the request of movers which were the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Amendment in Article-84) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
• The House passed the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (Amendment) Bill, 2020 after clause by clause reading.
• Ten reports of Standing Committees on Interior on as many bills were presented in the House. These bills were the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Islamabad Rent Restriction (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Terrorist Affected Areas (Special Court) (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Islamabad Capital Territory Shops, Business and Industrial Establishments (Security) (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Protection of Communal Properties of Minorities (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Islamabad Consumers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Section-9); the Islamabad Consumers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (section-12) and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
• Three reports –one each of the Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, Religious Affairs and Law and Justice – were also presented in the House. These reports were on Al-Karam International Institute Bill, 2020; the Protection of Persons against forced Religious Conversion Bill, 2019 and the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Article- 223).
• The House did not consider 13 other private members’ bills, five motions under Rule 259 and as many resolutions, 33 reports of standing committees, amendments to rules of procedure and conduct of Business in National Assembly 2007 and an adjournment motion.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) regarding subletting of government houses by allottees in three sectors of Islamabad and failure to meet international obligations leading to seizing of Roosevelt Hotel in New York and not allowing PIA to fly in Malaysia. These CANs were responded to by Ministers for Housing and Works and Aviation respectively.
• Moved by the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, the House passed two separate motions to constitute Special Committee for development of erstwhile FATA and elect Standing Committees on Poverty Alleviation, Social Safety Division and Economic Affairs.

Order and Institutionalization

• Two lawmakers including Minister for Power spoke on points of order for two minutes.
• The House was adjourned the meet again on February 3, 2021 (Wednesday) at 1400 hours.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of lawmakers was available to 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