ISLAMABAD, March 1, 2016: The Senate took up its entire agenda appearing on Orders of the Day on Tuesday during second sitting of its 126th session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Some key observations are as follows:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Senate met for two hours and nine minutes.
- The sitting started against its scheduled time of 1500 hours.
- The Chairman presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Chairman was not present.
- Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
- The Leader of the House attended the entire sitting.
- The Opposition Leader was present for an hour and 39 minutes.
- Five cabinet members were present.
- 28 (27%) Senators were present at the start and 38 (37%) at the time of adjournment.
- Parliamentary leaders of PML-F, PPPP, PkMAP, MQM, JUI-F, BNP-M, NP and PTI were present.
- Two minority members were present.
Output
- Chairman, Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat presented report on the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) Bill, 2016.
- Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization presented report on increase in airfares by the private airlines.
- Two reports of Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges were presented in the House. First report was on a privilege motion moved by Senator Maulana Tanveer-ul-Haq Thanvi regarding raid conducted by Rangers on the Jamia Ehteshamia Madrassa, Karachi while other was about misbehaviour of the staff of Airport Security Force at Karachi Airport with Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi during travel from Karachi to Islamabad.
- Minister for Human Rights presented Annual Report of the National Commission on the Status of Women for the year 2014.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The Chair admitted an Adjournment Motion (AM) for discussion about the statement of the Foreign Secretary of America that Saudi Arabia can purchase nuclear bomb from Pakistan following which Pakistan can face consequences of violation of Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
- Two other AMs about terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University and visit of Prime Minister and Army Chief to Iran and Saudi Arabia were not admitted because the House had already conducted debate on both issues.
- The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs). First CAN was about missing of 189 Pakistanis nationals detained in Indian jails and other was regarding attacks on PIA offices in New Delhi (India) and Dammam (Saudi Arabia). Both CANs were responded to by the Minister for Commerce.
- All 18 starred questions appearing on the agenda were taken up. In addition, the lawmakers raised 32 supplementary questions.
Order and Institutionalization
- Twenty points of public importance consumed 31 minutes of the proceeding’s time.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
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