ISLAMABAD, February 08, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh transacted its entire agenda and adopted two supplementary resolutions on Friday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 18th sitting of the fourth session:
Members’ Participation
- The Assembly met for three hours and 41 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for six minutes due to prayer break.
- The sitting started at 1548 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and 45 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for an hour and 10 minutes.
- The Leader of the Opposition was present for three hours and six minutes.
- As many as 57 lawmakers (34%) were present at outset and 44 lawmakers (26%) at adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, TLP, MQMP, GDA and MMAP attended the sitting.
- As many as six out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Output
- Moved by PPPP lawmakers, the House adopted two resolutions demanding the federal government to bring down property valuation rates and release dues to the media houses for payment of salaries to their employees. As many as nine lawmakers debated these resolutions consuming 34 minutes of the proceedings.
- The Speaker announced the assent of the Governor to the Sindh Zakat and Ushr (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The Minister for Forest and Wildlife responded to three out of seven Starred Questions while four questions were not taken up. The lawmakers asked 20 supplementary questions as well.
- The Ministers for Parliamentary Affairs and Excise and Taxation responded to two Call Attention Notices (CANs) regarding attack on temple in Khairpur and denial by the Pakistan State Oil to pay outstanding dues to the Sindh Government.
- A CAN regarding shortage of water in Sanghar was deferred on the request of Minister while another CAN related to registration of temple/churches was not taken up due to ministerial absence.
- A PPPP lawmaker withdrew his Adjournment Motion (AM) regarding low gas pressure in Mirpurkhas.
- Sponsored by a MMAP lawmaker, the House discussed an AM regarding anti-encroachment operation in Karachi. As many as five lawmakers spoke on it for 50 minutes.
- The Leader of the House responded to two matters of public importance regarding gas shortage in Sindh and non-payment of funds by federal government to the province.
Order and Institutionalization
- As many as four lawmakers raised Points of Order (POs) consuming six minutes of the proceedings.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on February 11, 2019 (Monday) at 1400 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 Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.