ISLAMABAD, October 15, 2012: Starting an hour and 10 minutes late, the seventh sitting of ongoing 46^th session which met for two hours and 15 minutes on Monday witnessed low attendance of Members in the National Assembly. Only 47 legislators were present at the outset and 75 were there at the adjournment.

After a female PMLN legislator pointed out lack of quorum, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the sitting.

A Calling Attention Notice regarding anomalies in regularizing services of the employees of National Education Foundation and payment of salaries from endowment fund instead of sanctioned budget was taken up. However the House did not take up the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Bill 2012 and the Pakistan Academy of Letters Bill 2010.

Twelve out of 24 questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded to by the relevant minister. Additionally, 15 Supplementary Questions were asked.

The Prime Minister, the leader of the Opposition, the Speaker and the parliamentary leaders of MMAP, ANP, PML, PMLF, PMLN, PPPS, NPP and BNPA did not attend the sitting.

Members’ participation in House proceedings

• The National Assembly met for two hours and 15 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1810 hours instead of the scheduled starting time of 1700 hours. The proceedings started an hour and 10 minutes late.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting. The speaker was not present.
• The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• Only the parliamentary leader of MQM attended the sitting.
• The Chief Whips of PPPP, MQM and ANP were present.
• Forty-seven (14%) Members were present at the outset while there were 75 (22%) at the end of the sitting. A maximum of 110 Members were present at one point of the sitting.
• Six Minority Members attended the sitting.
• Seventeen Members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• A Calling Attention Notices regarding anomalies in regularizing services of the employees of National Education Foundation and payment of salaries from endowment fund instead of sanctioned budget was taken up.
• Twelve out of 24 questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded to by the relevant minister. Additionally, 15 Supplementary Questions were asked. 

Output

• Two bills – the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Bill 2012 and the Pakistan Academy of Letters Bill 2010 – were not taken up by the House.

Order and institutionalization

• Three Points of Order consumed 10 minutes. However, none of the Points of Order attracted the Chair’s formal ruling.
• There were no instances of protests, boycotts or walkouts.

 Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
• After a female PMLN legislator pointed out lack of quorum at 2020 hours, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the sitting.

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.