ISLAMABAD, April 12, 2018: The National Assembly suspended the regular legislative procedure on Thursday to pass the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2018, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during third sitting of the 55^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for three hours and 17 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1043 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 57 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
• The Leader of the House (Prime Minister) did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for an hour and 51 minutes.
• As many as 41 (12%) lawmakers were present at the start of the sitting and 20 (6%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, JI and APML attended the sitting.
• As many as six minority lawmakers were present.

Output 

• Parliamentary Secretary for Interior laid the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 in the House.
• Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs laid the Protection of Economic Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 in the House.
• Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training introduced the Institute of Science and Technology Bahawalpur Bill, 2018. The House referred the bill to the relevant committee for its review and recommendations.

• On behalf of the Chairman Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, a member of the committee presented the committee’s report on the Sir Syed (Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering) Institute of Technology, Islamabad, Bill, 2016. The House condoned the delay in the presentation of the report.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Interior presented the report of the committee on the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2018. The House considered and passed the bill as reported by the committee after suspending the requirement of the Rule 123(2) of the National Assembly Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, 2007. According to the said rule, at least two clear days in a session shall intervene between the day of supply of copies of the bill to the members and the day for setting down of the bill for consideration.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) regarding delay in the payment of compensation and allotment of plots to the affectees/land owners in Islamabad and holding Karachi Electric (KE) accountable on unprecedented load-shedding in Karachi.
• The House took up eight out of 26 Starred Questions during the Question Hour. The lawmakers asked 21 supplementary questions as well.

 Order and Institutionalization

• As many as 15 lawmakers spoke on Points of Order consuming an hour and five minutes of the proceedings.
• MQM lawmakers staged a walkout against the KE and load shedding in Karachi.

Transparency

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

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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