ISLAMABAD, January 29, 2013: The National Assembly unanimously passed three bills in the 6^th sitting of the ongoing 49^th session, which met for three hours and one minute on Tuesday. Eighty-eight members were present at the outset, 60 at the time of adjournment while a maximum of 152 members were present at one point of sitting.

The passed bills were about establishing of three universities namely Dar-ul-Madina International University, South Asian Strategic Stability Institute University Islamabad, and My University Islamabad. Three other bills – The Pakistan Commission of Inquiry (Amendment) Bill 2013, The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill 2013, and The Falconry Law Bill 2013 – were taken up and sent to the respective standing committees.

The House also adopted two amendments in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007.

Two instances of walkouts were observed during the sitting. The MMAP lawmakers walked out of the House in protest over imposition of Governor Rule in Balochistan and, in the other instance, a PPPP member walked out of the House against the My University Islamabad Bill 2013.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The National Assembly met for three hours and one minute.
• The sitting started at 1805 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1700 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and five minutes.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for two hours and 18 minutes while the rest of the proceedings were chaired by a member of the Panel of Chairpersons.
• The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of MQM and PML were present whereas those of MMAP, ANP, PMLF, PPPS, NPP and BNPA did not attend the sitting.
•  The chief whips of PPPP, PMLN, MMAP, ANP and PML were present whereas those of MQM and PMLF remained absent.
• Eighty-eight members (26% of the total membership) were present at the outset while 60 (18%) were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 152 (44%) members were present at one point of sitting.
• Eight minority members attended the sitting.
• Twenty members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• One of the two calling attention notices (CANs) appearing on the agenda was taken up. It was about non-vacation of government quarters by the Estate Office Islamabad from the unauthorized occupants.
• Eight motions under rule 259 appearing on the agenda were not taken up.

Output

• The house unanimously passed three bills seeking establishment of universities. These were: The Dar-ul-Madina International University Bill 2013, The South Asian Strategic Stability Institute University Islamabad Bill 2013, and The My University Islamabad Bill, 2013.
• Three bills – The Pakistan Commission of Inquiry (Amendment) Bill 2013, The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill 2013, and The Falconry Law Bill 2013 – were taken up and sent to the respective standing committees.
• Two standing committee reports on amendment in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007 were presented by the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges. These were about insertion of a new rule and a sub rule in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.
• The House adopted the two amendments in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007, as reported by the above standing committee reports.

Order and Institutionalization

• The MMAP lawmakers walked out of the House in protest over imposition of Governor Rule in Balochistan at 1839 hours. They did not return to attend the proceedings. 

• A PPPP member walked out of the House against the My University Islamabad Bill 2013 at 2055 and did not return to attend the proceedings.

 Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was not available to observers and the public.

 

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