ISLAMABAD, May 20, 2015: The Senate passed the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Bill 2015 amid protest by the opposition parties here on Wednesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Nineteen lawmakers- PPPP (5), MQM (3), PTI, PkMAP, NP, ANP (2 each), PML, BNP-A (one each) and an Independent lawmaker-participated in the debate for two hours and 46 minutes while the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources spoke on it for 32 minutes.

State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs introduced the Capital University of Science and Technology Bill, 2015 which was referred to the relevant committee.

The House took up a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding non-provision of funds to the minority senators from Pak MDGS Community Development Program. The other CAN could not be taken up due to the absence of lawmaker. It was about the withdrawal of house rent facility and recovery of already paid amount under the head of employees of Directorate of Education and Workers Welfare Schools.

Following are some key observations of the House business:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The Senate met for three hours and 55 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1445 hours against the scheduled time of 1430 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman was not present.
• The Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader attended the entire sitting.
• 22 members (21%) were present at the start and 38 (37%) at the time of adjournment.
• A maximum of 63 senators (61%) attended the sitting.
• Parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PkMAP, MQM, JUI-F, PTI, ANP, NP and PML-N were present.
• All the minority members were also present.
• Four members applied for leave.

Output

• Introduced by Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, the Senate passed the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Bill 2015.
• State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs introduced the Capital University of Science and Technology Bill, 2015 which was referred to the relevant committee.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding non-provision of funds to the minority senators from Pak MDGS Community Development Program.
• The House passed three motions with regards to extending period for the nomination of Chairpersons of eight standing committees; increasing strength of Balochistan members from four to five and including a FATA member in the committee established to review issues of Pak China Economic Corridor, and constituting another committee which will report to the House within three months about the issues faced by the people after the passage of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Bill 2015.

Order and Institutionalization

• Three points of order consumed six minutes of the sitting.
• ANP lawmakers walked out of the House for four minutes against the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Bill 2015.
• All opposition parties (except PPPP) walked out of the House at 1809 hours against the passage of the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Bill 2015 and did not return till the session was prorogued at 1840 hours.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.  

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The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.