ISLAMABAD, May 9, 2011: The sixteenth sitting of the 30^th session of the National Assembly met for three hours and 23 minutes. The sitting was marked by low Members’ attendance, with 92 Members present at the outset and 58 were present when the sitting was adjourned.

The National Assembly suspended the regular agenda to debate upon the Abbottabad incident. The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Federal Ministers for Interior, Labour and Manpower, and Water and Power spoke on the incident.

The sitting witnessed a walkout by Members of the PMLN. The Parliamentary Party expressed reservations on the political alliance between the PPPP and PML, and the non-responsiveness of the Government over the Abbottabad incident.

The Carriage by Air Bill, 2010 was not taken up during the course of the sitting due to the suspension of regular agenda.

The Parliamentary Leaders of the MQM, NPP and PPPS were the only ones present, while the leaders of other parliamentary parties did not attend the sitting’s proceedings. The Prime Minister attended the sitting for 164 minutes, while the Leader of Opposition was present for 127 minutes. The following are some key observations of the Parliamentary Business:

Members’ participation in House proceedings

• The National Assembly met for three hours and 23 minutes.
• The sixteenth sitting started at 1749 Hours against the scheduled starting time of 1700 hours. The House proceedings started late by 49 minutes.
• The Speaker was not present during the proceedings. The entire sitting time was presided over by the Deputy Speaker.
• The Prime Minister was present for 164 minutes, while the Leader of Opposition attended the sitting for 127 minutes.
• The Parliamentary Leaders of the MQM, NPP and PPPS were the only ones present, while the leaders of the PML, MMAP, ANP, PMLF and BNPA were absent.
• The Chief Whips of PPPP, PMLN, PML, MQM, PMLF and ANP were present, while the chief whips of MMAP and BNPA were absent.
• A total of 92 (27%) Members were present at the outset of the sitting, while 58 (17%) Members at the end of the sitting.
• As many as nine out of 10 minority Members were present during the 16^th sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• There were two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) on the Orders of the Day, which were not taken up during the sitting. The House suspended the regular agenda to debate upon the Abbottabad incident. 

Output

• The Carriage by Air Bill, 2010 was not taken up during the sitting due to the suspension of regular agenda.

Order and Institutionalization

• A total of six Points of Order were raised, consuming 167 minutes (82% of total sitting time) of the sitting.
• The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Federal Ministers for Interior, Labour and Manpower, and Water and Power spoke on the Abbottabad incident. An Independent Member also took part in the debates.
• The sitting witnessed a walkout by Members of the PMLN. The Parliamentary Party expressed reservations on the political alliance between the PPPP and PML, and the non-responsiveness of the Government over the Abbottabad incident. They walked out of the sitting at 2036 hours and did not return for the remaining proceedings of the day.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
• The Quorum was visibly lacking at various stages during the sitting. However, lack of quorum was not pointed out by any of the Members of the National Assembly.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a member organization of FAFEN