ISLAMABAD, October 24, 2017: The Punjab Assembly, on Tuesday, adopted two private members’ resolutions recommending the government to ban the quackery and provide medical checkup facilities to the students, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings during seventh sitting of the 32^nd session:

Members’ Participation

• The Punjab Assembly met for an hour and 40 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1158 hours against the scheduled time 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the proceedings for 22 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for an hour and 18 minutes.
• As many as 22 MPAs (5%) were present at the outset and 24 (6%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• None of the parliamentary leaders attended the sitting.
• Three minority lawmakers were present.

Output

• The Leader of the Opposition introduced the Punjab Regulation of Public Infrastructure Projects Bill 2017 while a PML-N lawmaker introduced the Punjab Anand Karaj Bill 2017 in the House.
• The House deferred three private members’ bills including the Punjab Cleaning Products Safety Bill 2017, the Punjab Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Bill 2017 and the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 while the Punjab Prohibition of Prenatal Sex Determination Bill 2017 was disposed of due to absence of the concerned lawmaker.
• A PML-N lawmaker withdrew the Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children (Amendment) Bill 2017.
• The House adopted two private members’ resolutions recommending the government to legislate for annual health checkup of students in educational institutions and take actions against the quacks.
• The House disposed of three resolutions due to absence of the concerned lawmakers.

Representation and Responsiveness

• As many as nine out of 15 Starred Questions were taken up for answers during the proceedings while two questions were disposed of due to absence of concerned lawmakers and four questions were not taken up. The lawmakers also asked 20 supplementary questions.
• The House deferred an Adjournment Motion for next sitting on request of the government.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers raised five Points of Order consuming as many minutes of the proceedings.
• A lawmaker belonging to PTI walked out from the proceedings over unsatisfactory reply from the government on a Starred Question. He returned to the proceedings after 11 minutes.
• The entire opposition staged a walkout at 1338 hours against deferring the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017. They did not return to the House till the adjournment.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Information on Members’ attendance is available on Punjab Assembly’s website.

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The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are regretted.