NA Skips Regular Agenda, Discusses Killings of Aid Workers

ISLAMABAD, February 26, 2021: The National Assembly did not take up its regular business and consumed major part of the proceeding in points of order related to killings of four women aid workers in North Waziristan, observes Free and Fair Election Network in its Daily Factsheet on Friday.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during fourth  sitting of the 29th session:

Members’ Participation

  • The National Assembly met for 48 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1128 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
  • The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
  • The Deputy Speaker was not present.
  • The Leaders of the House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
  • Forty-one (12%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 54 (16%) at adjournment of the sitting.
  • A newly elected lawmaker of House from PPPP took oath and signed the roll.
  • Parliamentary Leaders of all parties were absent.
  • Five minority lawmakers were present.

Output

  • The House did not take up any agenda item appearing on `Orders of the Day’.

 Representation and Responsiveness

  • The House did not observe the question hour.

Order and Institutionalization

  • Eleven lawmakers spoke on points of order for 30 minutes which were mainly related to killings of four women aid workers in North Waziristan. The Chair referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Interior for detailed discussion and submission of report on it.
  • A PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1214 hours following which the Chair ordered for counting. Subsequently, the opposition lawmakers walked out from the House and quorum was found incomplete.
  • The House was adjourned to meet again on March 1, 2021 (Monday) at 1600 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