ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was prorogued sine die on Friday after partially addressing its agenda and adopting a resolution to protect children’s rights, Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) said in its Daily Factsheet.
The assembly met for an hour and 58 minutes. NA Speaker Asad Qaiser chaired the sitting for 22 minutes while the deputy speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
Prime Minister Imran Khan did not attend the sitting whereas Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif attended the sitting for 40 minutes.
Shehbaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique were released from jail to attend the house proceedings.
As many as 44 lawmakers (13%) were present at the outset and 129 (38%) at the adjournment of the sitting. The parliamentary leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), PML-N and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) attended the sitting while as many as six out of 10 minority lawmakers were also present.
Tabled by the minister of state for parliamentary affairs, the house adopted a resolution affirming the government’s resolve to ensure the protection of child rights, take steps to eradicate malnutrition and provide extra care during first 1,000 days of a baby’s life.
The government also introduced the Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2018. Both bills were referred to the standing committees concerned.
The house did not address two calling attention notices and motion of thanks about presidential address to the parliament and took up five out of 34 starred questions for answers by the government. The lawmakers asked 14 supplementary questions as well.
As many as eight lawmakers spoke on points of order, consuming 40 minutes (34%) of the proceedings’ time. The lawmakers belonging to PML-N protested for five minutes against the remarks made by the federal minister of communications regarding their party’s leadership.
The house was prorogued sine die.
