Condemns Indian PM, MQM Chief’s Provocative Statements

ISLAMABAD, August 23, 2016: The Punjab Assembly adopted three resolutions, including a Private Member’s resolution, and witnessed the introduction of two government bills on Tuesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings during second sitting of 23^rd session:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Punjab Assembly met for two hours and 16 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1118 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Speaker was not present.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and 10 minutes.
• Thirty lawmakers (8%) were present at outset and 82 (24%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leader of JI attended the sitting.
• Five minority members were present.

Output

• A PML-N lawmaker introduced the Punjab Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2016 and the Prisons (Amendment) Bill 2016. The House referred the bills to the relevant standing committees.
• The House adopted a Private Member’s resolution moved by PTI lawmaker demanding reduction in prices of life-saving drugs.
• Moved by Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, the House also adopted two resolutions condemning the provocative statements of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and MQM Chief Altaf Hussain.
• The House granted two-month extension in time to the Standing Committees on Health, Education, Home Affairs, Privileges and Special Committee No. 4 for presentation of their reports on various matters referred to them.
• A PML-N lawmaker withdrew her resolution while another resolution was deferred. The House did not take up the remaining two Private Members’ resolutions appearing on the agenda.

Representation and Responsiveness

• As many as eight out of 18 Starred Questions were responded to on floor of the House while five were deferred and three disposed of due to absence of the movers. The lawmakers also asked 19 Supplementary Questions.
• The House referred three Privilege Motions of the PML-N lawmakers to the relevant committee.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers spoke on 11 Points of Order consuming nine minutes of the proceedings.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• Information on Members’ attendance (except for parliamentary functionaries) 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 excepted.