ISLAMABAD, April 28, 2014: The Sindh Assembly passed one bill and took up four calling attention notices (CANs) on Monday during 15th sitting of its 12th session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Introduced by Minister for Women Development, the House passed the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Bill, 2013 after presentation of report by the Special Committee.
The House took up four calling attention notices (CANs) regarding criminal incidents reported in Karachi during last six months, increase in street crime in Karachi, investment and expenditures of Sindh Management House and scarcity of water in constituency PS-118 (Gulshan-e-Iqbal).
The House took up an adjournment motion submitted by PML-F female lawmaker regarding cheating culture during exams in Sindh. Four members spoke on it, including the mover. However, the Minister for Education raised objection that the motion was not submitted as per the rules. The Chair, while questioning the admissibility of the motion, gave the ruling that the debate cannot be held unless it is in line with the rules. Following the ruling, the entire opposition staged a walkout from the House for 15 minutes.
The House took up three of the five starred questions (requiring oral as well as written replies) which were responded to by the Special Assistant to the Chief Minister. The members asked 23 supplementary questions as well.
The lawmakers raised fourteen points of order consuming 31 minutes of the proceedings.
Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 35 minutes, taking three-minute Azan break.
- The sitting started at 1017 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of 17 minutes.
- The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for three hours and 25 minutes while a member of panel of chairperson presided over the rest of the proceedings.
- The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting while the slot for Leader of the Opposition is still vacant.
- The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PPPP, PTI, MQM and PML-F attended the sitting.
- Nineteen members were present at the outset while 64 at the adjournment. A maximum of 69 members were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.
- Five minority members attended the sitting.
- Two members applied for the leave.
Output
- Introduced by Minister for Women Development, the House passed the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Bill, 2013.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up four calling attention notices (CANs) regarding criminal incidents reported in Karachi during last six months, increase in street crime in Karachi, investment and expenditures of Sindh Management House and scarcity of water in constituency PS-118 (Gulshan-e-Iqbal).
- The House took up three of the five starred questions (requiring oral as well as written replies) which were responded to by the Special Assistant to the Chief Minister. The members asked 23 supplementary questions as well.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers raised fourteen points of order consuming 31 minutes of the proceedings.
- The entire opposition walked out from the House for 15 minutes as the Chair questioned the admissibility of an adjournment motion regarding cheating culture during exams in Sindh.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
- Information on members’ attendance was available to observers and the public.
The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN