ISLAMABAD, May 25, 2018: The Sindh Assembly on Friday passed three bills and adopted one resolution, reports Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 12th sitting of the 40th session:
Members’ Participation
- The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 20 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1540 hours against the scheduled time of 1400 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and 10 minutes while the rest of the proceedings were chaired by the Deputy Speaker.
- The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) attended the entire sitting.
- The Leader of the Opposition was present for three hours and seven minutes.
- As many as 39 (23%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 25 (15%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PPPP PTI and PML-F attended the sitting.
- Eight minority lawmakers were also present.
Output
- Tabled by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, the House passed the Regularization of Doctors Appointed on Contract or Adhoc Basis Bill, 2018 and the Sindh Institute of Traumatology Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Bill, 2017.
- Sponsored by a PML-F lawmaker, the House passed the Sindh Hindu Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
- Four other bills were deferred by the House which were the Societies Registration (Sindh Amendment) Bill, 2015; the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Sindh Employees Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
- The House adopted a resolution demanding the Sindh government to look into matter of 1100 employees terminated from Sindh Building Control Authority.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up all five Starred Questions for answers during the proceedings. In addition, lawmakers asked 18 supplementary questions.
- The House took up three Call Attention Notices (CANs) regarding non-functional indoor unit in Kohisaar General Hospital Latifabad Hyderabad, recruitment in SGA&CD on quota basis and protest for missing persons at Press Club Karachi.
- Two other CANs on the agenda remained unaddressed.
- A PTI lawmaker spoke on his adjournment motion for three minutes regarding load-shedding in Karachi.
- MQM lawmaker spoke on his adjournment motion regarding water issue for five minutes which was admitted for debate today.
Order and Institutionalization
- Two points of order consumed 25 minutes of the proceedings.
- Entire Opposition and some treasury lawmakers protested on floor of the House for five minutes demanding the Speaker to allow them to speak on points of order regarding the protest being held outside the assembly.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on May 28, 2018 (Monday) 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 Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation, a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted