ISLAMABAD, February 22, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh adopted a resolution on Friday to condemn the arrest of its Speaker by National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) authorities, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 20th sitting of the fourth session:
Members’ Participation
- The Assembly met for five hours and 14 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1620 hours against the scheduled time of 1400 hours.
- The Speaker, released from NAB custody to attend the sitting following production order issued by the Deputy Speaker, presided over the sitting for two hours and 48 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for three hours and 30 minutes.
- The Leader of the Opposition was present for four hours and four minutes.
- As many as 42 lawmakers (25%) were present at outset and 51 lawmakers (30%) at adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQMP, TLP, GDA and MMAP attended the sitting.
- As many as seven out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Output
- The House did not take up its regular agenda appearing on `Orders of the Day’.
- The House unanimously adopted a joint resolution to condemn human rights violation in Indian Occupied Kashmir and rejected allegations seeking to link the Pulwama attack to Pakistan. Eleven lawmakers debated the resolution consuming an hour and 12 minutes of the proceedings.
- Moved by a PPPP lawmaker, the House adopted a resolution to condemn arrest and raid on the Speaker’s House by NAB officials. As many as eight lawmakers debated the resolution for 58 minutes while the Speaker also spoke on it for 12 minutes.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The Minister for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control responded to six Starred Questions while the lawmakers asked 36 supplementary questions as well.
Order and Institutionalization
- As many as three lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming 36 minutes of the proceedings.
- A matter of public importance regarding death of five children due to poisonous food was responded to by the Minister for Local Government. It consumed ten minutes of the proceedings.
- The lawmakers belonging to GDA and PTI protested for eight minutes against the Chair’s decision on a resolution issue. Subsequently, GDA and PTI legislators walked out of the proceedings at 1822 hours and 1826 hours respectively and they returned to the House at 1852 hours.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on February 25, 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.