ISLAMABAD, June 19, 2015: The Sindh Assembly continued debate on the Provincial Budget 2015-16, as eleven lawmakers expressed their views on the annual financial statement on Friday, reports Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
The sitting started 56 minutes behind the schedule with 22 members (13%) present at the start and 41 (24%) at the time of adjournment. The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting while the Opposition Leader was present.
Eleven lawmakers – four belonging to PPPP, three MQM, two PML-F and one each to PML-N and PTI – spoke on the budget that took up 85% (156 minutes) of the proceedings’ time.
MQM lawmakers attended the sitting by wearing black bands on their arms and terming the budget anti-poor.
Following are some key observations of the assembly business:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and three minutes.
- The sitting started at 1056 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- 22 members (13%) were present at the start and 41 (24%) at the end of the proceedings.
- A maximum of 67 members (40%) were present at one point of the sitting.
- The Speaker chaired the sitting for 142 minutes while the Deputy Speaker was not present.
- A member of panel of Chairpersons presided over the remaining time of the proceedings.
- The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
- The Opposition Leader was present for 130 minutes.
- The Finance Minister attended the entire sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PML-F and PTI were present.
- Five non-Muslim members were present.
- One member applied for leave.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Eleven lawmakers – four belonging to PPPP, three MQM, two PML-F and one each to PML-N and PTI – expressed their views on the provincial budget that took up 156 minutes.
Order and Institutionalization
- Three points of order consumed three minutes of the sitting.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the members, observers and the public.
- Information on members’ attendance was available to the observers and the public.
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This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.