PM among 64 lawmakers completely absent from 37th NA session

FAFEN report says only 168 lawmakers attended each sitting of the session on average

Sixty-four lawmakers including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not attend a single sitting of the 37th National Assembly session, a report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has revealed.

According to the record published on the National Assembly website, only 168 (49 per cent) lawmakers attended each out of the nine sittings on average, the report added.

Besides the premier, other lawmakers remaining absent belong to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the National Party (NP) and the Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP). Leader of the Opposition Khurshid Shah also remained absent from five sittings of the session.

Hon'ble Dr. Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari #Attendance during #37thSession of the #NationalAssembly
More details https://t.co/T9zNt77C1H pic.twitter.com/YAybssMyKw

— FAFEN (@_FAFEN) December 5, 2016

Hon'ble Ali Muhammad Khan #Attendance during #37thSession of the #NationalAssembly
More details https://t.co/5ji2LU4epC pic.twitter.com/9cGGNTLmXi

— FAFEN (@_FAFEN) December 5, 2016

Hon'ble Lal Chand Malhi #Attendance during #37thSession of the #NationalAssembly
More details https://t.co/mbuQy7vWCE pic.twitter.com/ycYUotye1m

— FAFEN (@_FAFEN) December 5, 2016

The report further revealed that attendance remained particularly low in a number of sittings with three meetings adjourned due to lack of quorum.



It went on to add that the actual attendance was even lower as on average, with 34 (10 per cent) lawmakers present at the outset of each sitting and 54 (15 per cent) at the adjournment.

On November 20, it was revealed that PTI chairman Imran Khan had been barley attending the National Assembly for almost three-and-a-half years despite being the elected representative of over 0.25 million NA-56 registered residents.

During this period, the National Assembly collectively held 374 sittings [comprising of 36 regular sessions and 10 joint sessions of parliament] of which Imran Khan attended only 22 – almost a little less than six per cent of the total sittings. However, he continues to draw a salary and other privileges an MNA is paid out of the national kitty.