ISLAMABAD, January 14, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh, on Monday, passed a government bill providing for setting up the Institute of Trauma in Karachi, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during fourth sitting of the ongoing (fourth) session:
Members’ Participation
- The Assembly met for four hours and 50 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for nine minutes due to prayers break.
- The sitting started at 1545 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for three hours and 55 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
- The Leaders of the House and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
- As many as 47 lawmakers (28%) were present at outset and 68 lawmakers (40%) at adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PTI, TLP and MMAP attended the sitting.
- As many as seven out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Output
- The Select Committee constituted to review the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Institute of Trauma at Karachi Bill, 2018 presented its report on the legislative proposal.
- Moved by the Minister for Health, the House passed the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Institute of Trauma At Karachi Bill, 2018. The bill was introduced on November 26, 2018.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The government responded to six out of nine Starred Questions while remaining three questions were not taken up. These questions were addressed to the Ministry of Forest and Wildlife. The lawmakers asked 23 supplementary questions as well.
- The Ministers for Local Government, Culture, Health and Home responded to five Call Attention Notices (CANs) regarding deteriorated sewerage system, uneven water distribution in Karachi, facility of free WIFI in public libraries, unregistered medical college in Khairpur and kidnapping of a businessman in Sukkur. These CANs were raised by lawmakers belonging to PTI, PPPP, GDA and MQMP.
- A Privilege Motion (PM) of a MQMP lawmaker was withdrawn by the mover.
- The House admitted a PPPP lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion (AM) regarding federal government’s commitment about circular Railway for discussion on Wednesday, January 17, 2019.
- The House held a discussion on an AM regarding federal government’s prioritization of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. As many as 16 lawmakers participated in the debate consuming two hours and 20 minutes.
Order and Institutionalization
- As many as seven lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming 15 minutes of the proceedings.
- The lawmakers belonging to MQMP, GDA and PTI protested for two minutes during the proceedings against a PPPP lawmaker’s criticism against opposition and federal government.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on January 15, 2019 (Tuesday) 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 Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation, a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.