ISLAMABAD, September 15, 2020: The Senate referred two FATF-related bills to the relevant committees and debated the motorway gang-rape incident, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in the Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the proceedings during the first sitting of 303rd session:
Members’ Participation
- The Senate met for eight hours and 25 minutes. However, the proceedings remained suspended for three hours and seven minutes due to two breaks.
- The sitting started at 1100 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
- The Chairman presided over the proceedings for seven hours and 27 minutes while remaining sitting was chaired by a member of Panel of Presiding Officers.
- The Deputy Chairman was not present.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for seven hours and 43 minutes.
- The Opposition Leader was present for six hours and 55 minutes.
- As many as 33 lawmakers (32%) were present at the outset and 19 (18%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PkMAP, PTI, JI, ANP, MQM, PPPP and BNP-M attended the sitting.
- Three minority lawmakers were present.
Output
- Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs moved the FATF-related bill, the Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which was referred to the relevant committee. The Chair directed the Committee to present report on it by tomorrow (September 16, 2020) in the House.
- PPPP and JUI-F lawmakers opposed the immediate consideration of the Anti-Terrorism (3rd Amendment) Bill, 2020 which was taken by the House as supplementary business. However, the Chair referred the bill to the relevant committee for consideration.
- Chairperson Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges presented report of the Committee on a Privilege Motion moved by Senators Hidayat Ullah and Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar against the Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination who flouted the ruling of the Chairman Senate.
- On behalf of Chairman Functional Committee on Human Rights, a member of the Committee presented report on the Working Women (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2020.
- Chairperson Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination presented three reports of the Committee on two starred questions and a point of public importance. The questions were regarding names and locations of pharmaceutical companies sealed on account of manufacturing spurious medicines and number of pilgrims diagnosed with corona virus in quarantine center established in Taftan while point of public importance was regarding termination and repatriation of doctors serving at PIMS as per 5 % quota policy from provinces as well as promotion cases of senior doctors at PIMS.
- On behalf of Chairperson Standing Committee on Federal Education, Professional Training, National History and Literary Heritage, a member of the Committee presented three reports of the Committee on as many points of public importance regarding scholarship issues faced by the students from Balochistan, inclusion of inappropriate content about Pashtun Community in curriculum and establishment of forest university in Ziarat and Live Stock University in Musakhel Balochistan.
- Chairman Standing Committee on Railways presented three reports of the Committee on two starred questions and a point of public importance. The questions were regarding the irregularities in the appointment against the post of CEO Railways and PC-I, feasibility reports and completion status of various railway lines while point of public importance was about revival of Mandra-Chakwal railway line.
- On behalf of the Chairman Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, a member of the Committee presented report on the resolution regarding reduction in the pension being granted to retired and old aged workers by the Employees Old age Benefit Institution.
- The House passed a motion under Rule 194 (1) granting 30-day extension to Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan for presentation of its report on a motion under Rule 218 regarding need for reforms in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up seven out of 15 starred questions while lawmakers also asked 16 supplementary questions.
- Seventeen lawmakers spoke on an incident regarding gang rape of a woman on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway for three hours and 58 minutes.
Order and Institutionalization
- Four lawmakers including Minister for Narcotics Control spoke on points of order for 14 minutes.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on September 16, 2020 (Wednesday) at 1030 hours.
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