ISLAMABAD, February 20, 2015: The Sindh Assembly passed a bill for consumer protection and adopted a resolution for provision of gas supply on Friday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The sitting started 32 minutes behind the schedule with 27 members (16%) present at the start and 33 (20%) at the time of adjournment.

The House passed the Sindh Consumer Protection Bill 2014 and witnessed the introduction of the Sindh Board of Technical Education (Amendment) Bill 2015. Meanwhile, the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2015 was deferred on the request of the mover.

The House also adopted a resolution urging the provincial government to contact the federal government for provision of gas supply in Thul area of Jacobabad district.

Following are some key observations of the assembly business:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 57 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1032 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The sitting was entirely chaired by the Deputy Speaker.
• The Leader of the House was present for 64 minutes.
• The Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
• 27 members (16%) were present at the start and 33 (20%) at the end of the sitting.
• A maximum of 70 members (41%) were present at one point of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-N and PML-F were present.
• Four minority members attended the sitting.
• Six members applied for leave.

Output

• The House passed the Sindh Consumer Protection Bill 2014 and witnessed the introduction of the Sindh Board of Technical Education (Amendment) Bill 2015 during the sitting. Meanwhile, the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2015 was deferred on the request of the mover.
• The House adopted a resolution tabled by a PPPP lawmaker urging the provincial government to contact the federal government for provision of gas supply in Thul area of Jacobabad district.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Six starred questions were taken up and responded by the relevant departments, while the MPAs raised 28 supplementary questions during the sitting.
• The House took up two calling attention notices (CANs) regarding tax collection at a toll plaza near Tando Jam and lack of security and basic facilities at schools being run by the Karachi Municipal Corporation.
• The House took up an adjournment motion regarding the storage of 300,000 sacks of wheat without any protection at a godown in Bholari.
• A PPPP lawmaker’s privilege motion against a government official’s misbehaviour was also taken up and sent to the relevant standing committee.

Order and Institutionalization

• Members spoke on 20 points of order that consumed 30 minutes of the sitting.
• PML-F and PML-N lawmakers staged a three-minute protest against the Deputy Speaker for not allowing them to speak on points of order.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to members, observers and others.

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The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) – a member organization of FAFEN.