ISLAMABAD, June 17, 2015: The Sindh Assembly continued debate on the Provincial Budget 2015-16 on Wednesday, as ten lawmakers spoke on it for 78% of the proceedings’ time, reports Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.
The sitting started 76 minutes behind the schedule with 40 members (24%) present at the start and 47 (28%) at the time of adjournment. The Chief Minister and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
Ten lawmakers – five belonging to PPPP, three MQM and one each of PML-F and PTI – expressed their views during the debate that took up 147 minutes.
Following are some key observations of the assembly business:
Members’ Participation in House Proceedings
- The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and nine minutes.
- The sitting started at 1116 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- 40 members (24%) were present at the start and 47 (28%) at the end of the proceedings.
- A maximum of 54 members (32%) were present at one point of the sitting.
- The Speaker chaired the sitting for 112 minutes.
- The Deputy Speaker presided over the remaining time of the proceedings.
- The Chief Minister and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
- The Finance Minister attended the entire sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PML-F, MQM, and PTI were present.
- Three non-Muslim members were present.
- One member applied for leave.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Ten lawmakers – five belonging to PPPP, three MQM and one each of PML-F and PTI – spoke during the debate that took up nearly 78% (147 minutes) of the sitting’s duration.
Order and Institutionalization
- Four points of order consumed four minutes of the sitting.
- An MQM lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1200 hours, however, it was ignored by the Speaker. A total of 53 lawmakers (32%) were present at the time of pointation of the quorum.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the members, observers and the public.
- Information on members’ attendance was also available to the observers and the public.
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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.