NA Skips Agenda, Takes Up Load-Shedding Issue

ISLAMABAD, October 7, 2016: The National Assembly did not take up any agenda during its last sitting except a Calling Attention Notice on load-shedding in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet on Friday.

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

Members’ Participation

  • The National Assembly met for 45 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1040 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
  • The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting while the Speaker was not present.
  • The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) did not attend the sitting.
  • The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for 11 minutes.
  • Forty-four lawmakers (13%) were present at the outset and 105 (31%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PkMAP, JI, BNP-A, APML and ANP attended the sitting.
  • Four minority members were present.

Output

  • The House did not take up legislative business.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • The House suspended the Question Hour on a motion moved by Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.
  • The House took up a Calling Attention Notice on the issue of load-shedding in the districts of Upper Dir, Buner, Swat, Shangla, and Malakand Division.

Order and Institutionalization

  • Lawmakers spoke on 10 Points of Order consuming 23 minutes of the proceedings.

Transparency

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
  • The 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.