OUR CORRESPONDENT
ISLAMABAD: PILDAT analysed 46th session of National Assembly which began on November 3 and was prorogued on December 13. Fifteen (15) sittings were convened during the session spanning over 41 days.
46th Session met for 27 hours and 4 minutes with an average time of 1 hour and 48 minutes per sitting. The longest sitting of the session was held on December 12 when the House was adjourned after meeting 3 hours and 43 minutes. The average delay in starting a sitting was 51 minutes during the session.
On average 69.41% agenda items were left over during the 46th session and the National Assembly could dispose only 30.59% of its agenda items in 15 sittings. Maximum agenda items left over were 95.24% on November 3 due to discussion by
Lack of quorum was pointed out only in three (3) or 20% out of 15 sittings during the session.
Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, MNA, Prime Minister of Pakistan could not attend a single sitting throughout the session while Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Raja Riaz Ahmad, MNA attended 3 (20%) sittings held on November 10, November 24 and December 13. On average, 103 or 31.14% MNAs marked their attendance during the 46th session.
Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, MNA (NA-1 Chitral-I, KP, MMAP) was the most vocal MNA during the 46th session with a recorded talk time of 1 hour and 36 minutes.
During 46th session, the National Assembly passed 8 bills. Out of these, 4 government bills and 2 private members’ bills were introduced in the National Assembly while 2 Private Members’ bills were transmitted from the Senate. No ordinance was laid during the session while one (1) ordinance the Tax laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 (Ord. No. VI) was extended during the session.
During 46th session, total time consumed for discussion on policy issues spanned over only 1 hour and 25 minutes while the Assembly consumed 18 hours and 40 minutes on discussion of non-policy issues.
It must be noted that PILDAT has classified that a policy issue is such that involves any amendment in a bill or a recommendation on devising a policy. Any discussion on an issue that does not go beyond mere criticism or highlighting a concern does not fall into policy issue and is treated as discussion or time spent on non-policy issues.