ISLAMABAD: As many as 78 (25 percent) Members of National Assembly attended all the sittings, whereas 3pc did not attend any during 17th session of NA between June 5 and 27, 2025.
According to Fafen Attendance Report Card of NA’s 2nd Parliamentary Year, attendance of members kept fluctuating during budget session. It began on a high note, with 83pc attendance recorded during first sitting when Finance Bill, 2025 was introduced.
However, as the House progressed into general discussion on the budget, attendance declined, hitting the lowest 57pc on the third sitting.
Fafen’s report stated attendance resurged again at 79pc on the final day of general discussion, which also included deliberations on Senate recommendations and Charged Expenditures.
A marked increase was observed towards the end of the session, with attendance rising above 90pc during the voting on demands for grants and Finance Bill. The highest attendance was 93pc recorded on the day Finance Bill was passed.
The lawmakers raised concern on the absence of government ministers during the budget discussion, prompting the Chair to direct government members holding finance-related portfolios to come to the floor of the House.
A Fafen analysis of attendance and leaves applications read during the proceedings shows 235 members, 75pc of current strength, missed at least one sitting during the session.
However, only 79 (34pc) of them submitted application seeking leave from the House for their absence. Amongst these 79, 13 (16pc of applicants) applied for leave in advance while 46 (79pc) applied ex-post facto during the session after returning from their leaves. The leave applications of remaining 20 (25pc) applicants were read on a day falling in the middle of their period of absence.
Forty-six (58pc of applicants) sought approval for entire duration of their absence, while remaining 36 (42pc) were absent for a longer period than number of days for which they had requested leave. As many as 156 members (66pc of those skipping at least one sitting) remained absent without submitting any application during the session. Six MNAs applied for leave during the previous session(s).
Twenty-two female MNAs, including 19 on reserved seats and three on general seats (41pc of total female membership) attended all sittings. Among seven minority members, all attended more than half of the sittings, including three MNAs who attended all sittings.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended three sittings out of National Assembly out of 13 during budget session, while Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan attended 13 sittings out of 13 during the budget session. Among male MNAs elected on general seats, ten (4pc) did not attend any sitting, 35 (14pc) were present in less than half of the sittings and 208 (82pc) attended more than half of the sittings, including 54 (21pc) who were present during all sittings.
Regionally, across all provinces, majority of MNAs attended more than half of the sittings. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) recorded highest percentage, with all three of its MNAs attending every session. In Sindh, 68 MNAs (86pc) attended more than half of the sittings, including 20 who were present at all.
Punjab saw 140 MNAs (85pc) attend more than half of the sittings, with 37 attending every session. From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 39 MNAs attended more than half of the sittings, including 15 who were present at all. In Balochistan, 15 MNAs (75pc) participated in more than half of the sittings.
The majority of lawmakers from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQMP) and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) attended more than half of the sittings. Sole member of Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen Pakistan (MWMP) recorded full attendance.
Lawmakers from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), National Party (NP), and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PMLZ) attended more than half of the sittings. However, the sole representative of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) attended less than half of the sittings.
The bar titled as “Others” covers all parties with fewer than eight MNAs, including BAP, MWMP, NP, PKMAP, PML, PMLZ, IPP. BNP’s sole lawmaker has announced submitting his resignation, which is yet to be officially accepted as National Assembly website currently shows him as a member. To allow more time for general discussion on the budget, National Assembly suspended its rules requiring the holding of Question Hour, raising of public importance matters and Calling Attention Notices (CANs).
This suspension was approved during the second sitting, which had originally included a Question Hour and CANs related to seven ministries. However, only one of ministers concerned was present during that sitting. It was budget session, the agenda primarily focused on matters of finance and revenue.
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, who is a Senator, attended nine (69pc) sittings. The Minister of State and Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Revenue, both of whom are MNAs, were present in 11 sittings (85pc).
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, also a Senator, did not attend any sitting during the session, despite his portfolio closely related to the issues discussed during the budget session. Among other cabinet members, Federal Ministers for Parliamentary Affairs and Public Affairs Unit attended all sittings. The Ministers of State for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, National Food Security and Research and Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony were present throughout the session.
