Opposition’s Protest Leads to Early Adjournment of NA Sitting

ISLAMABAD, August 8, 2019: The National Assembly was adjourned early on Thursday without addressing its regular business due to protest by the opposition parties against the arrest of PML-N Vice President, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in the Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during fifth sitting of the 13th session:

 Members’ Participation

  • The National Assembly met for an hour and 34 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1206 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
  • The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting in the absence of Speaker.
  • The Leaders of the House (Prime Minister) and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
  • As many as 33 (10%) were present at the outset and 159 (47%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • Parliamentary Leaders of GDA, BAP and PPPP attended the sitting.
  • As many as five out of 10 minority lawmakers were present.

Output

  • The House did not take up any of the agenda item appearing on Orders of the Day except question hour.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • The House took up eight out of 29 starred questions while the lawmakers asked 19 supplementary questions as well.

Order and Institutionalization

  • Two lawmakers spoke on points of order for nine minutes.
  • PPPP lawmakers walked out of the House at 1334 hours against the arrest of PML-N leadership and did not return till adjournment of sitting at 1340 hours.
  • PML-N lawmakers protested for six minutes in front of dais of the Chair during the proceedings against arrest of the Vice President PML-N.
  • The House was adjourned to meet again on August 9, 2019 (Friday) at 1100 hours.

Transparency

  • Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
  • Attendance of the lawmakers is available on the National Assembly’s website.

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.