• Debate on Budget Ends in the Lower House

ISLAMABAD, June 25, 2020: The Prime Minister came to the House before the conclusion of the budget debate to make a policy statement on issues related to economy, foreign affairs and the government efforts to tackle COVID-19, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Thursday.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during fourteenth sitting of 22^nd session of NA: 

Members’ Participation

• The House met for 10 hours hours and 38 minutes.
• The proceedings started at 1045 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for three hours and 37 minutes, the Deputy Speaker for three hours and 20 minutes while remaining sitting was chaired by a Member of Panel of Chairpersons.
• The Leaders of the House (Prime Minister) attended the sitting for an hour and 33 minutes.
• The Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
• A total of 20 lawmakers (6%) were present at the outset and 16 (5%) at the adjournment of the sitting. As per SOPs, 46 lawmakers of the government and 40 members of the opposition parties would attend each sitting during the ongoing budget session while the overall attendance to be marked at the main gate of the National Assembly.
• The parliamentary leaders of MQMP, BAP, PML-N and PPPP attended the sitting.
• Five out of 10 minority lawmakers were also present during the proceedings.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• Sixteen lawmakers took part in the general discussion on the federal budget and spoke for three hours and 53 minutes.
• Prime Minister spoke for an hour and 22 minutes about issues related to economy, agriculture, education, foreign affairs, politics and overall government efforts to tackle situation after COVID-19.
• Minister for Industries and Production winded up general discussion on the budget for the year 2020-21 and spoke for 20 minutes.
• The House considered the recommendations made by the Senate on the Finance Bill 2020 and seven lawmakers including Minister for Foreign Affairs spoke on them for an hour and 21 minutes.
• Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Minister for Industries and Production also responded to a recommendation of Senate demanding to reverse the decision of cut in its budget.
• Minister for National Food Security and Research gave statement on agricultural policy and spoke for 19 minutes.
• The House held discussion on the Charged Expenditure included in Demands for Grants and Appropriations for the financial year ending on June 30, 2021.Ten lawmakers including Minister for Industries and Production participated in debate for an hour and seven minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• Seventeen lawmakers spoke on points of order for an hour and 15 minutes while a PTI lawmaker spoke on a point of personal explanation for three minutes.
• MQMP lawmakers staged a token walkout from the House against load-shedding in Karachi and Hyderabad due to inefficiency of K-Electric and HESCO.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on June 26, 2020 (Friday) at 1030 hours.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly’s proceedings, conducted by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted