ISLAMABAD, May 24, 2021: The Punjab Assembly initiated debate on the agriculture sector and witnessed the introduction of two government bills, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Monday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during the third sitting of the 32nd session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for two hours and 49 minutes.
• The sitting started at 04:13 am against the scheduled time of 02:00 pm.
• The speaker and the deputy speaker were absent.
• A member of panel of chairpersons presided over the entire sitting.
• The leader of the House (chief minister) and the opposition leader did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 58 MPAs (16 percent) were present at the outset and 23 (six percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• Only the parliamentary leader of PPPP attended the sitting.
• Four out of eight minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

• Minister for law introduced two government bills in the House. These bills were the Sugar Factories (Control) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Namal University, Mianwali Bill, 2021.
• The House held the general discussion on Agriculture. Three lawmakers – PTI (two) and one of PML-N – spoke on it for an hour and two minutes.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up six out of 16 starred questions related to Mines and Minerals Department. Besides, the lawmakers asked 15 supplementary questions.
• The House took up three Call Attention Notices (CANs) regarding rape incidents in Faisalabad and Jhang, and accident by a drunken government official in Sahiwal. These CANs were raised by PML-N and PTI lawmakers.
• Two other CANs on the agenda were disposed off due absence of the relevant movers.
• The House deferred four adjournment motions (AMs) due to absence of relevant ministers. These AMs s were about non-regularization of English teachers according to service rules 2004, increase in prices of dairy products, disposal of pollutants by factories and mills in PP-95 and non-availability of angiography in Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Bahawalnagar tehsil.

Order and Institutionalization

• Eleven lawmakers spoke on points of order for 24 minutes which were related to absence of relevant ministers.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 02:00 pm.

Transparency

• ‘List of Business’ was available on Punjab Assembly’s website.
• Information on Members’ attendance is available on Punjab Assembly’s website.

---

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by SANGAT Development Foundation, a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.