ISLAMABAD, April 12, 2018: The Sindh Assembly passed a government bill on Tuesday and addressed Calling Attention Notices (CANs) concerning Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during third sitting of the 39th session:
Members’ Participation
- The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 18 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1037 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
- The Deputy Speaker also attended the sitting.
- The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) attended the sitting for an hour and 55 minutes.
- The Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 41 (25%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 62 (37%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-N and PTI attended the sitting.
- As many as six minority lawmakers were also present.
Output
- Moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, the House passed the Sindh Holy Quran (Printing, Recording and Disposal of Damaged or Shaheed and Sacred Auraqs) Bill, 2018.
- Minister for Parliamentary Affairs introduced the Sindh Regularization of Veterinary Doctors Appointed on Contract Basis Bill, 2018.
- The House deferred the consideration of the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment), Bill 2018.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up two out of four Starred Questions during the proceedings. The lawmakers asked 11 supplementary questions as well.
- The House rejected PTI lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion regarding irregularities in the Agriculture, Supply and Prices department pointed in the report of the Auditor General of Pakistan for the audit year, 2016-17.
- The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) regarding fresh contract appointments in Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) by Mayor and utilization of grants made to KMC during current tenure. The remaining three CANs were dropped due to absence of the relevant lawmakers.
Order and Institutionalization
- A PTI lawmaker staged a two-minute protest and a walkout from the proceedings against rejection of his Adjournment Motion. He returned to the House after half an hour.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on Thursday, April 13, 2018 at 1000 hours.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- The attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.
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.