ISLAMABAD, February 11, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh could not address most of its agenda on Monday due to a walkout by opposition lawmakers who protested over the remarks of a government legislator against one of their colleagues, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 19th sitting of the fourth session:
Members’ Participation
- The Assembly met for two hours and 24 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1505 hours against the scheduled time of 1400 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 34 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for 32 minutes.
- The Leader of the Opposition was present for an hour and 23 minutes.
- As many as 63 lawmakers (38%) were present at outset and 50 lawmakers (30%) at adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of TLP, GDA and MMAP attended the sitting.
- As many as six out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The Minister for Energy responded to five Starred Questions while the lawmakers asked 27 supplementary questions as well.
- The Minister for Health responded to a Call Attention Notice (CAN) regarding lack of facilities in emergency ward of Lyari General Hospital, Karachi.
- Five CANs on the agenda were not taken up due to the walkout by their movers while one was not considered due to absence of the mover.
- A PPPP lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion (AM) got lapsed due to her absence which was regarding overbilling by Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) in Shaheed Benazirabad.
- Sponsored by an MMAP lawmaker, the House continued discussion on an AM regarding anti-encroachment operation in Karachi. As many as three lawmakers spoke on it for 22 minutes.
- Moved by a PPPP lawmaker, the House adopted a motion censuring GDA lawmaker for using objectionable remarks against lawmakers. Two lawmakers debated the motion for as many minutes
Order and Institutionalization
- As many as four lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming 16 minutes of the proceedings.
- The lawmakers belonging to GDA, PTI and MQMP protested for eight minutes over remarks of a PPPP lawmaker against one of their colleagues. Subsequently, they walked out of the proceedings at 1628 hours and did not return to the House till adjournment of the sitting.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on February 27, 2019 (Wednesday) 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