Zubair Qureshi
Prime Minister Imran Khan who is also Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from District Mianwali attended only one sitting out of the nine during the 40th session of the National Assembly held recently on January 10-20, 2022.
According to a report issued by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency the one sitting he attended on January 13 only for the purpose of casting his vote to various bills presented in the House.
As compared to Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, MNA, attended 4 sittings held respectively on January 10, 11, 12 and 13, the PILDAT report further tells.
In terms of speaking, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman MNA Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was the most vocal MNA during the 40th session with a recorded talk time of 1 hour 32 minutes and 35 seconds, the PILDAT report says.
Similarly, Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, MNA (NA-132 Lahore-X, Punjab, PML-N) spoke for 1 hour 13 minutes and 15 seconds during the session, followed by Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, MNA (NA-78 Narowal-II, Punjab, PML-N) who spoke for 1 hour 4 minutes and 5 seconds.
Mr. Abdul Qadir Patel, MNA (NA-248 Karachi West-I, Sindh, PPPP) spoke for 34 minutes and Khawaja Muhammad Asif, MNA (NA-73 Sialkot-II, Punjab, PML-N) spoke for 31.25 minutes.
On January 17, only two agenda items were taken up out of 17 agenda items when quorum was pointed out and the house was adjourned for not being in order.
On January 18, 131 agenda items were left over out of 172 agenda items when quorum was pointed out and the house was adjourned for not being in order. In the sitting held on January 19, on
ly one agenda item was taken up out of 23 agenda items when quorum was pointed out and the house was adjourned for not being in order. In the last sitting held on January 21, 7 agenda items were left over out of 22 when the session was prorogued.
On the average, 224 or 65.50 percent MNAs marked their attendance during the 40th session.
The detailed report of the 40th session of the National Assembly issued by the PILDAT further tells the 15th National Assembly met for 23 hours and 38 minutes in 40th Session with an average time of 2 hours and 37 minutes per sitting.
