ISLAMABAD: Despite political controversies during the past five years, the 14th National Assembly of the country took up an unprecedented legislative agenda by approving 205 bills as compared to 134 and 51 bills passed by 13th and 12th assemblies during their five-year terms, respectively.

As many as 182 government and 23 private members’ bills sailed through the house, says a report issued by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen), a coalition of 30 domestic NGOs working for election oversight and reforms and on other issues related to governance and democracy. According to the report, during 56 sessions comprising 495 sittings the house approved several important laws, including five constitutional amendments that provided for setting up of military courts for an initial period of two years and their subsequent extension for another two years, reallocation of National Assembly seats among the federating units on the basis of the results of the latest census, electoral reforms and merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Elections Act, 2017, which reformed and consolidated the erstwhile eight separate election laws of the country, also saw light of the day during the term of the 14th assembly.

Approved five constitutional amendments providing for military courts, electoral reforms, Fata-KP merger, reallocation of NA seats among federating units

Other important government legislations included reforms in the criminal justice system providing for compensation of litigation costs, institutionalisation of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, witness protection and expeditious disposal of law suits. The house also legislated for the right to information, whistleblowers’ protection, climate change and institutional reforms.

In addition to the legislation, the report says, house adopted 209 resolutions, making recommendations to the government on the issues concerning foreign affairs, economy, internal security, education, health, etc.

Keeping the tradition set by the previous assembly, the house passed 23 private members’ bills. In all, 237 private members’ bills were introduced in the lower house of parliament. Among the parliamentary parties, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was most keen towards introducing private members’ legislation as its lawmakers sponsored nearly one-third (75) of the bills. Lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz sponsored 53 private members’ bills, Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians legislators 33 and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s lawmakers 26. Moreover, legislators from two or more political parties collaborated in sponsoring nine private members’ bills.

The lawmakers kept a close vigil on the executive by raising 13,912 questions, moving 533 calling attention notices and holding discussions on 45 motions.

As many as 194 lawmakers of 16 parliamentary parties, including 56 women and 138 men, exercised their right to ask questions on the floor of the house. Women lawmakers asked 7,909 (57pc) questions while men 6,003 (43pc) questions. The government replied to 10,926 (79pc) out of 13,912 questions while 2,977 (21pc) questions remained unaddressed.

The report says that of 533 calling attention notices submitted during five years, the house took up 424 (80pc) notices and sought government response on the issues of public importance.

The 14th National Assembly passed 18 amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business by introducing some meaningful reforms.

The composition of the Public Accounts Committee was changed to give representation to the Senate, making the panel more powerful to oversee financial discipline of the executive.

In a historic first, the previous assembly had amended the Rules of Procedure allowing the standing committees to scrutinise ministerial budgetary proposals before their inclusion in the federal budget and make recommendations on these proposals. Further strengthening the parliamentary role in the budget-making, the 14th assembly bound the ministries to inform the standing committees about incorporation of their recommendations in the final budgetary proposals.

In another amendment, the house mandated the recitation of Naat before the commencement of its formal proceedings.

During five years of the assembly, 306 (89pc) of the 342 members actively participated in the house business by sponsoring agenda items and taking part in plenary discussions. However, the lawmakers’ attendance showed a declining trend over the period of five years with annual average attendance falling from 222 (65pc) legislators per sitting during first year to 189 (55pc) lawmakers per sitting during the last year.

The outgoing assembly was also unique in terms of elections to the offices of the speaker and leader of the house. The assembly had to choose the speaker and leader of the house twice. The re-election to the office of the speaker was necessitated by the de-seating of Speaker Ayaz Sadiq by an election tribunal which had declared his election as a member of National Assembly null and void and ordered re-poll in his constituency NA-122. Following his re-election to the house, he became the only parliamentarian having been chosen as the speaker twice during a single term of the assembly.

The re-election to the office of prime minister took place due to disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from holding public office by the Supreme Court in July 2017.

Moreover, the house also witnessed the address by the presidents of China, Turkey and Indonesia to the joint sessions of both houses of the parliament, says the Fafen report.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2018