ISLAMABAD, January 4, 2022: The Senate passed four government bills and witnessed presentation of a copy of the Money Bill on Tuesday, observes the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Members’ Participation
- The Senate met for two hours and 46 minutes.
- The sitting started at the scheduled time of 04:00 pm.
- The chairman presided over the sitting for two hours and 15 minutes while the deputy chairman chaired the remaining sitting.
- The leader of the house attended the sitting for two hours and 27 minutes. .
- The opposition leader did not attend the sitting.
- The Prime Minister was not present.
- As many as 14 lawmakers (14%) were present at the outset and 18 (18%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PTI, JI, PkMAP, NP, JUI-F and ANP attended the sitting.
- Three out of four minority lawmakers were present.
Output
- Moved by the Minister for human rights, the House passed four government bills including the Protection against Harassment of women at the Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
- Minister for finance and revenue presented a copy of the Money Bill, the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021 in the House. Five lawmakers spoke on it for an hour and five minutes while the Minister also sought Senate recommendations, if any, to be forwarded to the National Assembly on the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021.
- On behalf of chairman standing committee on religious affairs and inter-faith harmony, a member of the committee presented report of the committee on the Guardians and Wards (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
- Chairman standing committee on interior presented reports of the committee on the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
- The House passed a motion under Rule 194 (1) grating extension of sixty working days to standing committee on information and broadcasting for presentation of reports on the Right of Access to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up six out of 32 starred questions while lawmakers asked 23 supplementary questions.
- The House did not hold debate on a motion of thanks to the President for his address to parliament on September 13, 2021.
- Ten lawmakers spoke on matters of public importance for 20 minutes.
Order and Institutionalization
- The opposition walked out from the proceedings on two occasions for 14 minutes against non-submission of detailed reply to a question and not taking it into confidence on Reko Diq issue. The quorum was also pointed out soon after these walkouts but it was found complete on both occasions.
- A PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 06:46 pm which was found incomplete upon counting and the House was adjourned to meet again on Friday, January 7, 2022 at 10:30 am.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- Attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.
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