ISLAMABAD, November 7, 2017: The Senate on Tuesday took up the entire agenda appearing on Orders of the Day and debated power of the State Institutions, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during twelfth sitting of 269th session:
Members’ Participation
- The Senate met for four hours and 16 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 23 minutes due to prayer break.
- The sitting started at 1511 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
- The Chairman presided over the sitting for two hours and 49 minutes while the Deputy Chairman presided over the rest of the proceedings.
- Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for 33 minutes.
- Leader of the Opposition was present for an hour and eight minutes.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PkMAP, BNP-M, PML-F, MQM and NP attended the sitting.
- As many as 10 (9% of the total membership – 104) lawmakers were present at the start and 13 (12%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- Two minority legislators attended the proceedings.
Output
- Chairman Standing Committee on Finance and Narcotics Control presented special report on the matter of non-payment of three percent regulatory duty by the regulatory agencies i.e. SECP, NEPRA, OGRA, PTA and PEMRA of their annual fees to the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) under the CCP Act.
- Minister for Human Rights presented the Annual Report of the National Commission on the Status of Women for the year 2015-16.
Representation and Responsiveness
- As many as eight out of 32 Starred Questions were taken up for replies during the proceedings. The lawmakers asked 22 Supplementary Questions as well.
- The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) regarding increase in power tariff and current status of long standing under construction Chashma-Zhob power transmission line.
- State Minister for Interior responded to a point of public importance regarding missing of 70-year old religious scholar, Ameer of JUI-F from district Vehari since October 14, 2017.
- Six lawmakers participated in debate for 52 minutes about role of State Institutions in scheme of trichotomy of power.
- Minister for Foreign Affairs winded up debate on an adjournment motion regarding significance of BRICS declaration with particular reference to China’s view point about Pakistan. He spoke for nine minutes.
- The Chair admitted an adjournment motion to discuss reservations expressed by the various quarters on the recent census 2017.
- The House granted extension of 60 and 30 working days to Senate Standing Committee on Finance for presentation of its reports on the Protection of Economic Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and Calling Attention Notice regarding pending approval of 7500 sanctioned new posts (SNEs) for FATA respectively.
- The House also granted extension of 60 working days to Standing Committee on Communications for presentation of its report on a starred question regarding the case of non-approval for deputing the Motorway Police personnel at Kuchlak-Zhob and Saranan-Chaman Highway.
- The House debated an adjournment motion regarding the reports that water scarcity and water borne diseases are causing serious economic and health crisis in the country. Five lawmakers discussed it for 39 minutes while Minister for Water Resources winded up debate on it during his15 minutes speech.
Order and Institutionalization
- The Opposition lawmakers walked out of the House for two minutes over absence of ministers to respond various parliamentary interventions related to them.
- Deputy Chairman Senate spoke on a point of order for one minute.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- Attendance of lawmakers is available on the website.
This daily factsheet is based on the direct observation of Senate proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted