ISLAMABAD, February 03, 2012: Starting an hour and 50 minutes behind schedule and witnessing low attendance, the tenth sitting of the Punjab Assembly met for two hours and 10 minutes.

Only 22 MPAs were present at the outset and 35 when it was adjourned.  The Quorum, visibly lacking at various stages of the sitting, was not pointed out by any of the MPAs.

None of the 30 Questions listed for the Agenda was taken up by the House.

Two female PPPP Members staged a five-minute walkout, protesting the harsh language used for women in the House.

As the opposition benches protested against the Minister of Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Public Prosecution and sought apology from him, the Chair suspended the proceedings for 35 minutes.

The Chief Minister was absent while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for an hour and five minutes.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Punjab Assembly met for two hours and 10 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1050 hours instead of the scheduled starting time of 0900 hours. The House proceedings started an hour and 50 minutes late.
• The Speaker chaired the sitting.
• The Chief Minister was not present while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for an hour and five minutes.
• None of the parliamentary leaders attended the sitting.
• Twenty-two Members (6% of the total Membership – 369) were present at the start while 34 (9%) were there when the sitting was adjourned.
• Four minority Members were present.

Representation and Responsiveness

• None of the 30 questions listed for the Question Hour were taken up.
• The House debated the affairs of Punjab Institute of Cardiology for an hour and 10 minutes.

Output

• No Bills appeared on the Orders of the Day.

Order and Institutionalization

• Seven Points of Order consumed 10 minutes of the sitting time. None of the Points of Order raised attracted the chair’s formal ruling.

• Two female PPPP Members staged a five-minute walkout protesting the harsh language used for women in the House.

• As the opposition benches protested against the Minister of Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Public Prosecution and sought apology from him, the Chair suspended the proceedings for 35 minutes.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to Legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
• The Quorum, visibly lacking at various stages of the sitting, was not pointed by any of the Legislators.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization, a member organization of FAFEN