Sindh PA Adopts Resolution to Pay Tribute to Pakistani Women

• Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, March 8, 2021: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh adopted a resolution to pay tribute to Pakistani Women on the occasion of International Women’s Day and left entire agenda except question hour unaddressed on Monday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings during sixth sitting of 18^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Assembly met for two hours and 40 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 32 minutes amid protest of PTI and MQMP lawmakers.
• The sitting started at 1240 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker was absent.
• The Leaders of the House and the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• Thirty-nine legislators (23%) were present at the outset and 27 (16%) at the end of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of TLP, MMAP, PTI, MQMP and PPPP attended the proceedings while parliamentary leader of GDA was absent.
• Six out of nine minority lawmakers were present.

Output    

• The House did not consider five bills and as many Call Attention Notices (CANs), an adjournment motion and a privilege motion appearing on the agenda.
• Jointly sponsored by PPPP, MQM and PTI lawmakers, the House adopted a supplementary resolution to pay tribute to women on the occasion of International Women’s Day. As many as 15 lawmakers  – PPPP (9), MQMP (4) , PTI and TLP (one each) – spoke on it for an hour and ten minutes                                         

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up four out of seven starred questions related to Excise and Taxation Department. In addition, the lawmakers asked 17 supplementary questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• A PTI lawmaker pointed out quorum at 1404 hours but it was found complete upon counting.

• PTI and MQMP lawmakers protested for seven minutes during the proceedings when the Speaker allowed a PTI lawmaker to sit on the treasury benches. Due to the protest, the Chair suspended the proceedings for 32 minutes.
• The Session was prorogued sine die.

 Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• The attendance of lawmakers was not available to the observers and media.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Sindh Assembly proceeding conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted