ISLAMABAD, October 10, 2012: The National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously adopted a supplementary
resolution to condemn the attack on 14-year old Malala Yousafzai. After the House suspended the usual proceedings, 60% of the sitting time was consumed by debate on the resolution – an hour and 33 minutes.

Appearing on the agenda, the National Assembly also approved a resolution seeking to extend
the Validation Ordinance 2012 for 120 days.

The House, which met for two hours and 35 minutes during the fourth sitting, started 55 minutes behind schedule. The members’ attendance remained low as only 13% MNAs were sighted at the beginning and 17% at the adjournment of the sitting – a maximum of 132 members were present at any one time during the sitting. Nine minority members were also present in the House.

As the House suspended the proceedings to debate attack on Malala, the Question Hour, a bill on establishing the Gwadar Port Authority and a motion to discuss law and order in the country under rule 259 were not taken up.

The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting as the Leader of the Opposition made a brief appearance of two minutes. The sitting was chaired by Deputy Speaker for two hours – a member of the Panel of the Chairpersons presided over the rest of the sitting. Parliamentary leaders of PMLN, NP and BNPA attended the sitting.

Two calling attention notices regarding the dilapidated condition of bridges in Islamabad and a rise in use of sheesha in the Islamabad Capital Territory were taken up by the House.

Members’ participation in House proceedings

• The National Assembly met for two hour and 35 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1055 hours instead of the scheduled starting time of 1000 hours. The proceedings started 55 minutes late.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting. The Speaker was absent.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting. The Leader of the Opposition made a brief appearance of two minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of PMLN, NP and BNPA attended the sitting.
• The Chief Whips of PPPP, ANP, MMAP, NP, MQM and BNPA were present.
• Thirteem percent  (45) members were present at the outset while there were57 (17%) at the end of the sitting. A maximum of 132 Members were present at one point of the sitting.
• Nine minority Members were present.
• Seven Members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsivenes

• Two calling attention notices regarding the dilapidated condition of bridges in Islamabad and a rise in use of sheesha in the Islamabad Capital Territory were taken up by the House.
• The Question Hour was not held.

Output

 The House did not take up the Gwadar Port Authority Bill 2012.

Order and institutionalization

• No Points of Order were raised during the sitting.

 Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a Member organization of FAFEN.