One in four MNAs skip entire session: report

ISLAMABAD:

Around a quarter of the members of the National Assembly (MNAs) did not attend any sitting during the National Assembly's 19th session, according to a report issued by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The session spanned three sittings from September 1 to September 5, 2025. As many as 111 – 34 per cent – MNAs attended all of the sittings during the session.

The second sitting had the highest number of MNAs – 61 per cent of the current membership – present during the session. The third sitting had the lowest number of MNAs in attendance – 49 per cent.

As many as 216 – 66 per cent – MNAs skipped at least one sitting during the session. As Many as 50 – 23 per cent of 216 – MNAs submitted applications for leave of absence during the session. As many as 166 – 77 per cent of 216 – MNAs skipped the House proceedings without any formal leave application in advance.

Among the cabinet members, four federal ministers and one state minister attended all the sittings. The prime minister did not attend any sitting, while the office of the Leader of the Opposition remained vacant during the session.

FAFEN noted that during the 19th session of the NA, which spanned three sittings from September 1 to September 5, 2025, 111 members – 34 per cent – attended all sittings, while 82 members – 25 per cent – were absent for the entire session.

"As in previous sessions, female members generally had higher attendance than their male counterparts. The second sitting saw the highest attendance, with 200 members (61 per cent of the current membership) present at the meeting."

"This session was a Private Members' Day, during which the Minister for Housing and Works moved Motion 288 to suspend the agenda to discuss the country's flood situation under Motion 259, which had been previously introduced by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in the first sitting. The lowest attendance occurred during the third (last) sitting, with only 159 members (49 per cent) present. During this session, a member of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) pointed out the lack of quorum. In response, the Speaker remarked that it was unfortunate for the quorum to be questioned during a discussion of such significant public importance, as members from Balochistan were seeking to address the flood issues. Nonetheless, a count was conducted, and the House was found to be in order," the report highlighted.

"An analysis of attendance records and leave applications announced during the proceedings shows that 216 members (66 per cent of the current strength) missed at least one sitting during the session.