• Budget Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, June 14, 2017: The National Assembly approved 124 Supplementary Demands for Grants for financial year 2016-17 and 59 Excess Demands for Grants and Appropriations for the years 1998-1999 and 2003-2004, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are key observations of the proceedings during last (15^th) sitting of the 43^rd session:

Members’ Participation

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 52 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1151 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire while the Deputy Speaker was also present.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for 63 minutes.
• 132 MNAs (39%) were present at outset and 92 (26%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of JI, PPPP, PkMAP, ANP, AMLP, PML, APML and QWP-S attended the sitting.
• Seven minority members were present.

Output

• The House approved 124 Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2016-17 and 59 Excess Demands for Grants and Appropriations for the years 1998-1999 and 2003-2004.
• The Finance Minister laid the Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2017-18, Supplementary Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 2016-17 and Excess Schedule of Authorized Expenditure 1998-1999 and 2003-2004 in the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Three lawmakers debated the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 63 minutes. The Finance Minister concluded the debate.

Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker raised a Point of Order consuming two minutes of the proceedings.
• The entire opposition protested for eleven minutes over absence of the Prime Minister to brief the House over diplomatic crisis in Gulf States. Later, the protesting lawmakers staged a walkout from the proceedings at 1254 hours and did not return to the House.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Information on Members’ attendance is available on the National Assembly website.

---

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly’s proceedings, conducted by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted