PM, top leaders absent as Fafen reports poor NA attendance
ISLAMABAD: As many as 276 of the 332 MNAs missed at least one sitting, while just 56 (17 per cent) attended all sittings during the 23rd session of the National Assembly, held from Jan 12 to Jan 22, according to an attendance report by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen).
The report said 47 members (14pc) were absent for the entire session.
Among cabinet members from the National Assembly, only one federal minister — Khalid Hussain Magsi of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) — attended all sittings, while seven ministers did not attend any.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif did not attend any sitting. Other prominent figures who missed all sittings included former PM Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
The federal ministers who did not attend a single sitting were Ahsan Iqbal, Abdul Aleem Khan, Syed Mustafa Kamal, Awais Leghari, Amir Muqam, Aurangzeb Khichi and Muhammad Moeen. Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Chaudhry Tanvir Hussain and Raza Hayat Hiraj attended one of the seven sittings.
The report also noted that PM Shehbaz’s son Hamza Shehbaz, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani’s son Ali Musa Gilani, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s nephew Hussain Elahi, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s wife Musarrat Khawaja missed all sittings. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman attended one sitting, while PPP leader Aseefa Bhutto attended three and missed four.
Leader of the Opposition Mehmood Khan Achakzai attended all four sittings after his appointment on Jan 16, and two of the three sittings held before it.
The sixth sitting recorded the highest attendance, with 222 MNAs (67pc of the current membership) present. The third sitting had the lowest attendance, with 135 MNAs (41pc) in the House.
On the day of the highest attendance, the House observed a private members’ day and passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Corporate Social Responsibility Bill, 2025.
The elections bill sought to limit public disclosure of legislators’ assets and liabilities, citing security and privacy concerns. The CSR bill laid down guidelines for corporate social responsibility expenditure by for-profit companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. During the sitting with the lowest attendance, eight government bills were introduced and two ordinances were laid.
Committee powers
Meanwhile, Fafen urged parliament to strengthen the committee system by operationalising Article 66 of the Constitution. through legislation that provides enforceable oversight powers.
Fafen said the lack of enabling legislation under Article 66(3) had left committee powers largely “symbolic”, weakening scrutiny of the executive. It also cited concerns raised in International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessments regarding weak enforcement of oversight mechanisms, executive dominance and limited transparency.
Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026
