ISLAMABAD, March 04, 2015: The 13th sitting of the Punjab Assembly’s ongoing session was adjourned due to lack of quorum after meeting for two hours and 17 minutes, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its daily factsheet on Wednesday.

The sitting started 67 minutes behind the schedule with 23 legislators (6%) present at the start and 47 (13%) at the time of adjournment. The Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting. Among parliamentary leaders, only the JI and PPPP leaders were present.

The quorum was pointed out by a PML lawmaker at 1236 hours but was found to be complete upon counting. However, a JI legislator pointed out the quorum once again at 1318 hours which led to the sitting’s adjournment due to presence of less than 25% lawmakers.

The House passed the Punjab Information of Temporary Residents Bill 2015 that was introduced by Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs. The minister also introduced the Punjab Security of Vulnerable Establishments Bill 2015 which was being discussed when the sitting was adjourned due to lack of quorum.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The Punjab Assembly met for two hours and 17 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1107 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• 23 members (6%) were present at the start and 47 (13%) at the end of the sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the entire sitting in the absence of the Speaker.
• The Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader were absent.
• Among parliamentary leaders, only the JI and PPPP leaders were present.
• Three out of eight minority members attended the proceedings.
• No member applied for leave.

Output

• The House passed the Punjab Information of Temporary Residents Bill 2015 that was introduced by the Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs.
• The same minister introduced the Punjab Security of Vulnerable Establishments Bill 2015 which was being discussed when the sitting was adjourned due to lack of quorum.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Ten out of 29 starred questions were taken up and responded by the relevant government departments. In addition, the MPAs raised 24 supplementary questions.
• The House took up three adjournment motions regarding shortage of hospitals in the province, absence of school heads in 82 schools of Jhang and illegal occupation of land belonging to the Forest Department.
• The House took up a PML-N lawmaker’s privilege motion against the unsatisfactory response to his question addressed to the Housing Department on February 24.
• Another privilege motion moved by a PML-N lawmaker regarding a renowned journalist’s inappropriate remarks against lawmakers of South Punjab was also taken up and referred to the relevant standing committee.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers raised six points of order that consumed three minutes of the sitting.
• The quorum was pointed out by a PML lawmaker at 1236 hours but was found to be complete upon counting. However, a JI legislator pointed out the quorum once again at 1318 hours which led to the sitting’s adjournment due to presence of less than 25% lawmakers.
• Independent lawmakers along with PPPP and PML members walked out of the House for not being allowed to introduce an amendment to the Punjab Information of Temporary Residents Bill 2015. They returned to the House after 12 minutes.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to legislators, observers and others.

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This 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.