ISLAMABAD, October 22, 2014: Starting 80 minutes behind the schedule, the Punjab Assembly adopted two resolutions and debated another during the 3^rd sitting of 10^th session of the Punjab Assembly, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Through the resolutions, the House congratulated education rights activist Malala Yousafzai on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and condemned the Indian aggression on the Line of Control and Working Boundary. Eight members also debated a resolution regarding democracy for 43 minutes.

The Law Minister introduced the Punjab Institute of Quran and Seerat Studies Bill 2014. Low attendance was observed during the sitting as 44 members (12%) were present at the outset, 19 (5%) at the adjournment while a maximum 102 members (28%) were observed to be present at one point of the sitting.

The House took up four PML-N-sponsored adjournment motions regarding the negligence of doctors in public hospitals, illegal transfer of land to in Layyah, shifting of zonal office of the Excise Department and declaration of Lahore as the tenth most polluted city by the World Health Organization.

Following are some key observations of the proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Punjab Assembly met for three hours and nine minutes.
• The sitting started at 1120 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours witnessing a delay of an hour and 20 minutes.
• Forty members (11%) were present at the outset and 19 (5%) at the adjournment of the sitting while a maximum of 102 members (28%) were observed to be present at one point of the sitting.
• The Speaker chaired the sitting for two hours and 32 minutes, while the remaining proceedings ware presided over by the Deputy Speaker.
• The Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• Only the parliamentary leader of PPPP attended the sitting.
• Four minority members were present.
• Twenty-five of the members applied for leave.

 Output

• The Law Minister introduced the Punjab Institute of Quran and Seerat Studies Bill 2014 which was sent to the relevant committee.
• The House adopted two resolutions appearing as supplementary agenda. The first resolution was sponsored the PML-N members to congratulate Malala Yousafzai for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize while the second resolution was jointly moved by the PML-N and PPPP members to condemn the recent Indian aggression on the Line of Control and Working Boundary.

• Eight members – PML-N (7) and one PML – debated a resolution regarding democracy for 43 minutes.

 Representation and Responsiveness 

• 10 out of 35 starred questions appearing on the agenda were answered by the Transport Department while 12 supplementary questions were also asked.
• A PML-N member moved a privilege motion against the misconduct of the Executive District Officer Bahawalnagar with him.
• The House took up four PML-N-sponsored adjournment motions regarding the negligence of doctors in public hospitals, illegal transfer of land to in Layyah, shifting of zonal office of the Excise Department and declaration of Lahore as the tenth most polluted city by the World Health Organization.

 Order and Institutionalization 

• The lawmakers raised 15 points of order that consumed 21 minutes of the proceedings’ time.
• A PPPP lawmaker, who staged a walkout on Tuesday for not getting permission to speak, continued his boycott until 1144 hours before he was requested to join the proceedings.

 Transparency 

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

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