ISLAMABAD, April 27: Starting an hour and eight minutes behind schedule, the fourth sitting of Sindh Assembly’s 35th session, which met for two hours and 10 minutes on Friday, unanimously passed the Sindh Government Services Benevolent Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2012.
The sitting witnessed low attendance of Members as 35 were present at the start of the sitting while 64 were there when it was adjourned.
Seven Questions out of nine on the Agenda were taken up, and 36 Supplementary Questions were also asked. The relevant minister was present in the House.
The parliamentary leaders of the PML (F-B), PPP, MQM, PMLF, and ANP were present while those of PML and NPP did not attend the sitting.
The following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 10 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1038 hours instead of the scheduled starting time of 0930 hours. The proceedings were delayed by an hour and eight minutes.
- The Speaker chaired the sitting for 10 minutes while the remaining time was presided over by a Member of the Panel of Chairpersons.
- The Chief Minister was present for 35 minutes.
- The parliamentary leaders of the PML (F-B), PPPP, MQM, PMLF, and ANP were present while those of PML and NPP did not attend the sitting.
- Thirty-five (21% of 165) Members were present at the start while 64 (39%) were there when the sitting was adjourned.
- Three minority Members were present during the proceedings.
- Three Members applied for leave to be absent.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Seven out of nine questions on the Agenda were taken up, and 36 Supplementary Questions were also asked. The relevant minister was present in the House.
- An Adjournment Motion on the agenda was not taken up.
Output
- The Sindh Government Services Benevolent Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2012.
Order and Institutionalization
- Eight Points of Order consumed 19 minutes of the sitting time. However, none of the Points of Order attracted the Chair’s formal ruling.
- There were no instances of protests, boycotts or walkouts.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day were available to Legislators, observers and others.
- Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
- The Quorum, visibly lacking at various stages during the sitting, was not pointed out by any of the Members.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN