ISLAMABAD, June 13, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh addressed its entire business scheduled for Thursday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the House proceedings during second sitting of the 5th session:
Members’ Participation
- The House met for four hours and 52 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1513 hours against the scheduled time of 1400 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for four hours and four minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
- The Leader of the House attended the sitting for three hours and three minutes.
- The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for 18 minutes.
- As many as 43 lawmakers (26%) were present at outset and 52 (32%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, TLP and MMAP attended the sitting.
- As many as seven out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.
Output
- The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs introduced the Sindh Institute of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which was referred to the relevant standing committee.
- The House reconsidered the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act, 1861 and Revival of Police Order, 2002) (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
- Moved by MMA lawmaker, the House unanimously adopted a supplementary resolution to condemn proposed increase in the prices of edibles by Federal government in the budget. The mover of the resolution spoke on it for nine minutes.
Representation and Responsiveness
- An Adjournment Motion regarding increase in petroleum prices was not taken up due to absence of its mover.
- The Minister for Population Welfare and Health Departments answered five out of ten Starred Questions during the proceedings. In addition, lawmakers asked 26 supplementary question.
- The government responded to four out of five Calling Attention Notice (CANs) appearing on agenda. The responded CANs were about closure of water supply in Jail Chowrangi, encroachments and illegal constriction in PS-126 Karachi, non-establishment of Consumer Courts and shortage of water in PS-130.
- Moved by GDA lawmaker, the Chief Minister responded to a Matter of Public Importance regarding Law and Order situation in District Shikarpur. Two lawmakers spoke on it for 13 minutes.
Order and Institutionalization
- Two lawmakers raised Points of Order consuming eight minutes of the proceedings.
- The lawmakers belonging to MQMP, PTI and GDA staged a walkout against the government for reconsidering the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act, 1861 and Revival of Police Order, 2002) (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The GDA lawmaker rejoined the proceedings after two minutes while lawmakers belonging to MQMP and PTI remained out of the House until the adjournment of sitting.
- The House was adjourned to meet again on June 14, 2019 (Friday) at 1500 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