ISLAMABAD, March 03, 2015: The Sindh Assembly left five private motions and six amendments to the Rules of Procedure unaddressed on Tuesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The sitting started 48 minutes behind the schedule with 18 members (11%) present at the start and 67 (39%) at the time of adjournment. The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting, while the Opposition Leader was present for 70% of the proceedings.

The House adopted three resolutions during the sitting, demanding action against illegal construction of high-rise buildings in Karachi, steps for issuance of CNICs in Orangi Town (Karachi) and procurement of wheat by the provincial government.

On the other hand, two resolutions dealing with proper utilization of funds by Town Municipal Administrations and barring the sale of land to Bahria Town and other housing schemes at a discounted rate were rejected.

Following are some key observations of the assembly business:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 13 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1048 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting for two hours and 41 minutes, while the rest of the proceedings were presided over by a member of the Panel of Chairpersons.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting, while the Opposition Leader was present for two hours and 14 minutes.
• Eighteen members (11%) were present at the start and 67 (39%) at the end of the sitting.
• A maximum of 70 members (42%) 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.
• One member applied for leave.

Output

• The House adopted three resolutions; demanding action against illegal construction of high-rise buildings in Karachi, steps for issuance of CNICs in Orangi Town (Karachi) and procurement of wheat by the provincial government.
• Two other resolutions regarding with proper utilization of funds by Town Municipal Administrations and barring the sale of land to Bahria Town and other housing schemes at a discounted rate were rejected.

Representation and Responsiveness

• All four starred questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded by the relevant department. In addition, the MPAs raised 30 supplementary questions.
• The House took up an adjournment motion tabled by an MQM lawmaker regarding the provincial government’s failure to implement fixed price of sugarcane. However, the Chair rejected the motion, terming it out of order.
• Five private motions regarding establishment of an engineering college in Orangi Town, ban on CNG kits in school buses; action against illegal seminaries, accidents on National Super Highway due to its dilapidated condition and establishing central libraries in each district were left unaddressed during the sitting.

Order and Institutionalization

• Nine points of order consumed seven minutes of the sitting.
• MQM lawmaker staged a one-minute protest for being barred from speaking on a resolution.
• PML-F members also boycotted the sitting at 1346 hours after they were barred from speaking on the floor by the Deputy Speaker. They did not return to the House till the end of the sitting.

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. Errors and omissions are excepted.