Islamabad:
A total of 78 members of the National Assembly (25%) attended the 13 sessions of the 17th Session (Budget) held from June 5 to 27, while 10 members (3%) remained absent during the session, according to the official records of assistance.
The session began with a strong participation: 83% assistance was registered on the opening day when the Finance Law 2025 was introduced. However, the assistance decreased to a low session of 57% during the third session, which presented general discussions on budgets. Participation gradually recovered, reaching its maximum point at 93% on the day the Finance Law draft was approved. Legislators repeatedly expressed concern about the absence of key ministers during budgetary debates, which led the president to lead the relevant finance portfolio holders to attend.
The records show that 235 MNA (75% of the house) were lost at least one session. Of these, only 79 (34%) formally sent license applications: 13 applied in advance, while 46 applications submitted after returning. Twenty legislators made their license requests read in the mid -absence. In particular, 156 members (66% of the absent) did not request the license completely. In addition, six MNA submitted license requests for previous sessions.
The assistance varied through demography: female MNA: 22 women (41% of all female members) – 19 in reserved and three in general seats, attended all sessions. MNA Minoritarians: The seven attended more than half of the sessions; Three attended each session. The MNA Mena in general seats: 10 (4%) lost the entire session, 35 (14%) attended less than half and 208 (82%) were present in more than half of the sessions, including 54 (21%) with full assistance.
Regional assistance trends showed the territory of the capital of Islamabad leading with 100% assistance of its three MNA. Punjab and Sindh followed, with 85% and 86% of the AMN, respectively, attended more than half of the sessions. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 39 MNA participated in more than half of the sessions, with 15 attending everyone. Baluchistan registered 75% assistance in the same category.
The assistance in terms of party was higher among the MNA of PML-N, PPPP, MQMP and SIC, most of which attended more than half of the sessions. The only MWMP legislator marked the full assistance. BAP, NP and PML-Z legislators were also largely present. However, the only PKMAP representative attended less than half of the session.
The “others” category includes parties with less than eight MNA, such as BAP, MWMP, NP, PKMAP, PML, PML-Z and IPP. The only BNP member has presented resignation, but has not yet been officially accepted.
To prioritize the budget debate, the National Assembly suspended routine procedures, including questions, care notices (cans) and issues of public importance. This suspension was approved in the second session, although only one of the seven worried ministers was present that day.
