Senate passes three govt. bills, adopts two resolutions

• Session prorogued

ISLAMABAD, February 17, 2022: The Senate passed three government bills and adopted two resolutions on Thursday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its daily factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during the 19th and last sitting of 317th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for two hours and 48 minutes.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 10:30 am.
• The chairman presided over the entire proceedings.
• The deputy chairman was also present.
• The leader of the house attended the entire sitting.
• The leader of the opposition was present for two hours and ten minutes.
• The Prime Minister was not present.
• As many as 34 lawmakers (34%) were present at the outset and 15 (15%) at the adjournment of sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PkMAP, JI, BAP, PTI, BNP, PPPP, ANP, NP and PML attended the sitting.
• Three out of four minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• The House passed a motion to consider the Allied Health Professionals Council Bill, 2022. As many as 29 votes were polled in motion’s favor while the same number opposed it. After tie, the Senate chairman voted in favor of the motion and the bill was moved for consideration in the House. Later, the House passed the bill through voice voting and the opposition abstained itself from participation in the voting process.
• The Housed also passed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Amendment Bill, 2022 and the OGRA (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022 after walkout of the opposition from the House. Earlier, the chair deferred both bills at the time of their consideration but later asked to take them up.
• Moved by a PTI lawmaker, the House adopted a supplementary resolution in connection with upcoming International Women’s Day and paid tribute to Pakistani women. It recommended the government to take initiatives for their empowerment.
• The House adopted another resolution in connection with the 30^th anniversary of Khujaly incident in Azerbaijan and urged the international community to bring peace in the region. The resolution was moved by an independent lawmaker.
• Chairman standing committee on cabinet secretariat presented reports of the committee on the OGRA (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the OGRA (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022.
• On behalf of chairman standing committee on national health services, regulations and coordination, a member of the committee presented report on the Allied Health Professionals Council Bill, 2022.
• Chairman standing committee on interior presented report of the committee on the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Amendment of sections 4, 408, 414A and substitution of sections 14 and 14A).
• Chairman standing committee on science and technology presented report of the committee on the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
•  Chairman standing committee on human rights presented report of the committee on a point of public importance regarding target killings of social worker and media person in Malakand.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up all three starred questions while lawmakers asked 10 supplementary questions.
• The House passed eight motions under Rule 194 (1) granting extension to three standing committees for presentation of reports on seven legislative proposals and a point of public importance.
• Minister of state for parliamentary affairs responded to a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding exorbitant amount charged by the private and public labs while conducting PCR tests despite major reduction in prices of PCR kits.
• Another CAN on the agenda was deferred.
• Seven lawmakers spoke on points of public importance for 33 minutes.
• The House did not take up motion of thanks to the President for his address to both Houses of Parliament assembled together on September 13, 2021.

Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker spoke on a point of order for four minutes.
• The opposition walked out from the House at 12:41 pm against the chair’s decision to consider two government bills despite their deferment announced by him earlier. They did not return to the House till end of the sitting.
• The session was prorogued sine die.

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