ISLAMABAD, January 22, 2016: The Senate took up entire agenda amid low attendance of lawmakers during last sitting of 123rd Session on Friday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Some key observations are as follows:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Senate met for two hours and 22 minutes.
- The sitting started three minutes late against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- The Chairman presided over the sitting for an hour and 13 minutes while rest of the proceeding was chaired by Deputy Speaker.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for 70 minutes.
- The Opposition Leader attended sitting for 65 minutes.
- Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
- Eighteen (17%) Senators were present at the start and 31(30%) at the time of adjournment.
- Parliamentary leaders of BNP-M and ANP were not present.
Output
- The House adopted amendments in rules 184 and 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012.
- State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs presented the First Quarterly Report for the year 2015-2016 of the Central Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the state of the Economy.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs). First notice was about delay in completion of Islamabad Citizens’ Club in F-9 Park, Islamabad and terrorist attack on Polio Vaccination team in Quetta.
- Sixteen out of 24 starred questions appearing on the agenda were taken up. In addition, lawmakers asked 26 supplementary questions.
- The Chair did not admit a privilege motion moved by PPPP lawmaker against Minister for Interior.
Order and Institutionalization
- All Opposition parties led by MQM staged token walkout for two minutes against hike in electricity tariff in Karachi.
- A PkMAP lawmaker also staged token walkout for two minutes for not being allowed to raise his reservations on a question during question hour.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
To download the factsheet, click here for English- click here for Urdu
This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted.