ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly could not address several private members’ agenda due to low attendance of lawmakers on Tuesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its daily factsheets.
It said the NA met for two hours and 38 minutes and the speaker presided over for an hour while a member of the panel of chairpersons presided over rest of the proceedings as the deputy speaker was not present.
Leader of the House – prime minister – did not attend the sitting and the opposition leader attended the sitting for 43 minutes. Four lawmakers (1%) were present at the outset and 51 (15%) at the adjournment of the sitting. Five minority members were present.
The introduction of the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, the Pakistan Minorities Rights Commission (Amendment) Bill and the Protection of Minorities Bill was deferred on the request of movers while the consideration of the Trade Organisations (Amendment) Bill also remained pended. Moreover, the chair dropped eight bills due to the absence of the movers.
The members of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat presented the reports of the committee on the Compulsory Blood Test for Relatives of Thalassemia Patients (Amendment) Bill, the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, the Islamabad Compulsory Civic Education Bill, National Commission for Minority Education Bill and the Service Tribunals (Amendment) Bill. The House condoned the delay in presentation of these reports.
The reports of the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges could not be presented due to the absence of the committee’s chairman. Three resolutions and a motion to amend the Rules of Procedure were also dropped due to absence of the movers while a resolution regarding interest on House Building Advance was deferred on the request of the treasury.
