ISLAMABAD, January 17, 2017: The Senate took up its entire agenda on Tuesday and also passed the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Bill, 2016, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Some key observations of the 7th sitting of Senate’s 258th session are as follows:
Members’ Participation
- The Senate met for three hours and eight minutes.
- The sitting started two minutes behind the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for an hour and 51minutes while the Leader of the Opposition remained present for 55 minutes.
- Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
- Parliamentary leaders of PTI, PkMAP, MQM, PML-F, PML-N, ANP and PML attended the proceedings.
- Twelve members (11% of the total membership -104) were present at the outset and 29 (28%) at the end of sitting.
- One minority lawmaker attended the sitting.
Output
- Tabled by Minister for Law and Justice, the House passed the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Bill, 2016 with an amendment. The amendment proposed by the Opposition Leader about implementation of this law with immediate effect was passed with majority vote.
- Chairman Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research presented 12th follow up report of the Committee regarding proposed “conversion of 1400 acres land of National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) / Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) by the Capita Development Authority into residential/commercial plots”.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House debated an Adjournment Motion (AM) regarding the new amnesty scheme under consideration of the Government. Two lawmakers – one each of PTI and MQM – and Minister for Law and Justice spoke on it for 14 minutes.
- Following motions under Rule 194(1), the House gave extension of 30 days to present report on a point of public importance regarding the violation of Fundamental Rights of Transgender Community in the country and starred question regarding the Bhara Kahu Housing Scheme for Government Employees.
- The Chair rejected two AMs about plea bargain deal of NAB and special hunting permits to the Qatri Princes for hunting of Houbara Bustard as both issues had been already discussed in the House through various parliamentary interventions.
- Another AM was dropped due to absence of its mover which was about decision of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to extend the imposition of ten paisa per unit surcharge for another one and half year for Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project.
- The House took up two Calling Attention Notices regarding statement of the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs about Dr. Shakeel Afridi and the out of turn allotment of plots by the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) to sixty officers of the Islamabad Police and the District Administration.
- Twenty out of 37Starred Questions appearing on the agenda were taken up. In addition, lawmakers asked 30 Supplementary Questions
- In response to wrong reply of a starred question related to Civil Aviation Authority, the Chair referred the matter to Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges for action against responsible officials.
Order and Institutionalization
- The House discussed 13 Points of Public Importance for 44 minutes.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- The attendance of lawmakers is available on the website.
This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted.