ISLAMABAD, August 22, 2013: An Adjournment Motion on increase in prices of petroleum was not allowed after it did not get required vote of 26 Senators during the fourth sitting of the 97^th session on Thursday.

The Ministry of Petroleum objected as an ANP Senator wanted to move the Adjournment Motion on increase in petroleum prices. The Chair did not allow the motion as it only got 25 votes from the House.

There were four Senators at the beginning of the proceedings, 23 at the adjournment and 39 at the time of maximum attendance. After a PPPP Senator pointed out quorum, the Chair ordered for the bells to be rung for five minutes. The proceedings resumed on the completion of required quorum.

The Chairman presided over the entire sitting in the presence of the Leader of the House and the Opposition. The parliamentary leaders of MQM and JUI-F also attended the sitting.

The third quarterly report for the year 2012-2013 of the Central Board of Directors of State Bank of Pakistan on the State of Pakistan’s Economy was laid before the House.

Out of 28 starred questions on the agenda, eight were taken up. Additionally, 16 supplementary questions were asked.

Three walkouts were documented during the sitting. An ANP Senator staged a three-minute token walkout after the Chair did not allow him to ask a supplementary question. PPPP Senators along, with all opposition parties, staged an eight-minute walkout over the absence of Minister of Industries and Production to respond to a Calling Attention Notice of the party’s Senator regarding a proposal given to the prime minister to privatize the Pakistan Steel Mill. JUI-F Senators walked out of the House against the alleged rigging in the by-polls and did not return to attend the rest of the proceedings.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for two hours and eleven minutes.
• The sitting started at 1632 hours witnessing a 32-minute delay against the scheduled start time of 1600 hours.
• There were four Senators present at the start of the proceedings, 23 at the end and a maximum 39 Members at a point during the sitting.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• Both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings.
• Parliamentary leaders of JUIF and MQM attended the sitting while those of PML, BNPA and ANP were not present.
• Two Members applied for leave.
• One minority Member was present.

Output

• The third quarterly report for the year 2012-2013 of the Central Board of Directors of State Bank of Pakistan on the Sate of Pakistan’s Economy, was laid before the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

·         There were 28 Starred Questions on the agenda; eight were taken up. Additionally, 16 supplementary questions were asked.

·         A Calling Attention Notice moved by a PPPP Senator about a proposal given to the Prime Minister by the Ministry of Industries and Production to privatize Pakistan Steel was deferred.

·         The Chair did not grant permission to an ANP Senator to move an Adjournment Motion, on increase in the prices of petroleum products, as it did not receive the required vote of 26 Senators after the government objected to the motion.

Order and Institutionalization

• Lawmakers spoke on nine points of order consuming 35 minutes.
• Three walkouts were documented during the sitting. An ANP Senator staged a three-minute token walkout after the Chair did not allow him to ask a supplementary question. The PPPP Senators along, with all opposition parties, staged an eight-minute walkout over the absence of Minister of Industries and Production to respond to a Calling Attention Notice of the party’s Senator regarding a proposal given to the prime minister to privatize the Pakistan Steel Mill. JUI-F Senators walked out of the House against the alleged rigging in by-polls and did not return to attend the rest of the proceedings.
• After a PPPP Senator pointed out quorum, the Chair ordered for the assembly bells to be rung for five minutes. The proceedings resumed on the completion of required quorum.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Senators’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.  

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the National Assembly proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI); a member organization of FAFEN