ISLAMABAD, January 16, 2018: The Sindh Assembly passed a private bill and a private resolution on Tuesday while leaving remaining private members’ business unaddressed, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during fifth sitting of the 37th session:
Members’ Participation
- The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 12 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1208 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 51 while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
- The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) did not attend the sitting.
- The Leader of the Opposition was present for an hour and 38 minutes.
- As many as 41 (25%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 38 (23%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-N, PML-F and PTI attended the sitting.
- Seven minority members were also present.
- Three members applied for leave.
Output
- The House passed the Barret Hodgson International University at Karachi (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The bill was moved by a MQM lawmaker
- A PPPP lawmaker introduced the UIT University Bill, 2017.
- The House adopted a private resolution recommending the government to take steps to improve School Emergency and Management Mechanism. As many as eleven lawmakers including the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs debated the resolution for 42 minutes.
- The House did not take up four private resolutions and the amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up six Starred Questions for answers during the Question Hour. The lawmakers asked 33 supplementary questions as well.
- The Chair rejected a PML-F lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion regarding murder of two Hindu brothers in Thar.
- The House did not address four private motions regarding issues of public importance
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers did not raise any Point of Order.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on January 18, 2018.
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.