NEWS DESK
ISLAMABAD: In an annual analysis of the first-year performance of the 16th National Assembly, PILDAT has noted that the Assembly was convened for fewer working days and fewer working hours compared to the previous Assembly though it underwent a surge in crucial legislative activity much of which was passed without required scrutiny and deliberation by the MNAs, 16th National Assembly was convened for its inaugural session on February 29, 2024 with its first parliamentary year ending on February 28, 2025.
Compared to its predecessor, the 16th National Assembly was convened for fewer sittings (93) and worked for significantly fewer hours (212) than the 15th National Assembly’s first-year record of 96 sittings and 297 hours. It should be mentioned that the cost of a working hour in the first year of the 16th National Assembly comes to about PKR 60.08 million per hour while the average budget per sitting of the 16th National Assembly in its first year stood at PKR 136.96 million.
However, legislative output of the 16th National Assembly was significantly higher, with 47 bills passed in its first year—a staggering 370% increase compared to the 10 bills passed during the first year of the 15th National Assembly. This heightened legislative activity includes critical laws and the 26th constitutional amendment, most of which were rushed through without adequate time and scrutiny by the Assembly. In addition, several laws including 9 crucially-important ones, were hurried for passage without review by MNAs and without being referred to relevant Standing Committees.
The attendance of MNAs has also declined to an average of 66% in first year of the 16th National Assembly down from 73% in the first year of the 15th National Assembly. It must be noted that cost per MNA to the taxpayers stood at PKR 37.9 million during the 16th National Assembly’s first year. PILDAT has been advocating that the system of recording MNAs attendance may need to be improved as the system makes no distinction between a member who attended the sittings for 5 minutes and the other who was present for 5 hours. Another issue with the system of attendance is reflected in the pointing out of quorum and number of sittings that are adjourned due to lack of quorum even though the number of MNAs recorded as present in those sittings far exceeds the required quorum.
The 16th National Assembly has shown a relatively weaker performance in terms of agenda items planned and disposed of, with 49.18% of the scheduled agenda items left over during its first year indicating significant portion of planned business remains incomplete in the National Assembly.
During the first year of the 16th National Assembly, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif attended only 17 sittings out of the total 93 sittings or joined only 18%. Poor as it is, this thin attendance record of PM is sadly consistent with the attendance of former PM Imran Khan who had attended only 18 out of 96 or 19% sittings in first year of 15th National Assembly. His predecessor PM Nawaz Sharif had only attended 7 of the 103 or 7% sittings of the 14th National Assembly’s first year.
In comparison, Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub Khan, MNA attended 62 or 67% sittings in the year, up from 53 or 55% attendance of Leader of the Opposition Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in first year of previous Assembly. Omar Ayub Khan was also the most vocal MNA with a recorded talk time of 13 hours and 28 minutes during 1st year of 16th National Assembly.
The 16th National Assembly also bypassed and violated its rule on formation of Standing Committees. Rule 200 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly dictates that members of departmental standing committees must be elected by the Assembly within thirty (30) days after the election of the Leader of the House, which made April 3, 2024 as the deadline of doing so. However, committees were not made functional until May 17, 2024 and there was further delay in electing chairpersons of committees.
