ISLAMABAD, April 28, 2015: The Sindh Assembly continued to witness low attendance of lawmakers on Tuesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
The sitting started 60 minutes behind the schedule with 41 (24%) lawmakers present at the start and 57 (34%) at the time of adjournment.
The House adopted three resolutions to pay tribute to Dr Adib-ul-Hassan Rizvi (founder of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplant), express grief over demise of former MPA Abdul Qudoos and to establish two NADRA offices in Orangi town, Karachi. Moreover, the Chief Minister spoke on the wheat procurement policy for 17 minutes.
Following are some key observations of the assembly business:
Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings:
- The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 26 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1100 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and 41 minutes.
- The remaining proceedings were chaired by a member of the Panel of Chairpersons.
- The Chief Minister attended the sitting for 43 minutes.
- The Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
- 41 members (24%) were present at the start and 57 (34%) at the end of the sitting.
- A maximum of 83 members (49%) attended the sitting.
- The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-N, PTI and PML-F were present.
- Five out of nine minority members attended the sitting.
- Four members applied for leave.
Output
- The House adopted three resolutions to pay tribute to Dr Adib-ul-Hassan Rizvi (founder of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplant), express grief over demise of former MPA Abdul Qudoos and to establish two NADRA offices in Orangi town, Karachi.
Representation and Responsiveness
- Five out of seven questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded by the relevant government departments. In addition, the lawmakers raised 30 supplementary questions.
- The House took up an adjournment motion regarding the expiry of medicines at Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas. However, the Chair did not admit the motion after it was opposed by Senior Minister for Education.
Order and Institutionalization
- Five points of order consumed six minutes of the sitting.
- PML-N, PML-F and MQM members staged a one-minute protest against the Chair’s interference during a debate on a resolution.
Transparency
- ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the members, observers and the public.
- Information on members’ attendance was 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 (PPF) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.
