ISLAMABAD, August 10, 2021: The National Assembly took up 60 percent of its agenda and referred six private members’ bills to relevant committees for deliberation, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its daily factsheet on Tuesday.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during 13th sitting of the 35th session:

 Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for four hours and 49 minutes.
• The sitting started at 11:12 am against the scheduled time of 11:00 am.
• Two members of panel of chairpersons presided over the entire sitting in the absence of the speaker and deputy speaker.
• The leaders of the house (Prime Minister) and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 42 (12 percent) lawmakers were present at the outset and 44 (13 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• Seven minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• The House witnessed introduction of six private members’ bills which were referred to the relevant committees for consideration. These bills were the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Amendment in Article-27); the Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Amendment in Article-59); the Drug Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Pakistan Medical Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Destitute and Neglected Children Bill, 2021.
• Two bills including the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Amendment in Article-54) and the Contractors Registration Bill, 2021 were deferred following the consent of their movers.
• A bill – the Memon University at Islamabad Bill, 2021 – was deferred due to the absence of mover.
• Twenty-three reports of various standing committees on 20 legislative proposals, two starred questions and a calling attention notice (CAN) were presented in the House.
• The House did not consider eight private members’ bills, 17 resolutions, two amendments in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in National Assembly, 2007.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• The House passed a motion under sub-rule (7) of rule 154 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 for consideration of the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Bill, 2020 in joint sitting of the parliament.
• Parliamentary Secretary for industries and production and Minister of State for parliamentary affairs responded to CANs regarding increase in the prices of food essentials in the Utility Stores and violations of rights of wars affected people, respectively.
• Five motions under Rule 259 on the agenda were not taken up.

Order and Institutionalization

• Forty-eight lawmakers spoke on points of order for two hours and 30 minutes mainly related to issues of their constituencies.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 11:00 am.

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