National Assembly elects new deputy speaker

  • Session prorogued

 ISLAMABAD, April 21, 2022: The National Assembly on Thursday elected MMAP’s Zahid Akram Durrani deputy speaker of the House, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during the 12th and last sitting of 41st session:

 Members’ Participation

  • The National Assembly met for two hours and 58 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 34 minutes due to prayer break.
  • The sitting started at 11:19 am against the scheduled time of 11:00 am.
  • The speaker presided over the proceedings for 55 minutes while the remaining sitting was chaired by the deputy speaker.
  • The leaders of the house and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
  • As many as 65 (19 percent) lawmakers were present at the outset and eight (two percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • Parliamentary leaders of BAP, GDA, MMAP and JWP attended the sitting.
  • Four out of ten minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

  • MMAP’s Zahid Akram Durrani took oath after being elected unopposed as the deputy speaker of the National Assembly. The speaker administered the oath on Zahid Akram Durrani who was lone contender for the deputy speaker’s position as no other candidate had submitted nomination papers against him.

Order and Institutionalization

  • As many as 16 lawmakers made felicitation speeches for two hours and five minutes following the oath of newly elected deputy speaker.
  • The session was prorogued sine die.

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