ISLAMABAD, June 21, 2013: The Senate unanimously approved recommendations on the Finance Bill 2013 in the eighth sitting of the 95th session on Friday, reports the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its daily factsheet based on direct observation of the proceedings.
The National Assembly will consider the 113 recommendations made by Senate on the Finance Bill 2013.
Nine Senators including the Finance Minister debated the budget for two hours and 44 minutes in the last sitting of the session which was prorogued.
Three standing committee reports were presented before the House. The Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control presented its report on the inordinate delay in issuance of passports; the Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics, Planning and Development and Privatization presented its report on the proposals for making recommendations on the Finance Bill 2013; and the Standing Committee on Industries and Production presented its report for the period from March 2012 to March 2013.
The Chairman chaired the entire sitting. Six Senators were present at the outset while 14 were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 32 Senators were present at one point of sitting.
Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Senate met for five hours and 23 minutes. The House took a break of two hours.
- The sitting started at 1034 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of 34 minutes.
- The Chairman chaired the entire sitting. The Deputy Chairman was not present.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition was not present.
- The parliamentary leaders of ANP, JUIF and MQM were present while those of PML and BNPA remained absent. The only Senator of PMLF was present while that of NP was absent.
- The Finance Minister attended the sitting for an hour and 30 minutes.
- Six Senators were present at the outset while 14 were there at the time of adjournment. A maximum of 32 Senators were present at one point of sitting.
- Two minority Senators attended the sitting.
- Three Senators applied for leave.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Nine Senators – four of PPPP, two of PMLN and PML each, and one of JUIF – debated the budget for two hours and 44 minutes.
Output
- Three standing committee reports were presented before the House. The Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control presented its report on the inordinate delay in issuance of Passports by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports Islamabad, and the Standing Committee on Industries and Production presented its report on for the period from March 2012 to March 2013.
- The third report was on the proposals for making recommendations on the Finance Bill 2013, which was presented by the Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics, Planning and Development and Privatization.
- The motion raised by the Chairperson of Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics, Planning and Development and Privatization that the recommendations on the Finance Bill 2013 be adopted was taken up. The House unanimously approved the recommendations.
Order and Institutionalization
- Eleven points of order consumed 25 minutes of the sitting time.
- No instance of protest, walkout or boycott observed during the sitting.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
- Information on senators’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a member organization of FAFEN