• Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, October 10, 2018: The Senate on Wednesday deferred debate on an adjournment motion regarding excessive use of antibiotics for the third time and discussed economic and political affairs in the country, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during 11^th (last) sitting of the 282^nd session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for four hours and eight minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 12 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman was not present.
• The Leader of the House attended the sitting for three hours and 38 minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for 33 minutes.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, ANP, BNP-M, PML-N and PML-F were present.
• As many as 16 members (15% of the total membership) were present at outset and 21 (20%) at end of the sitting.
• As many as two out of four minority Senators attended the sitting.

 Output

• Chairperson, Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs presented report regarding the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2018. However, the bill was withdrawn by its mover.
• Following motion under Rule 196 (1), the House considered and adopted the final report (Volume-IV) regarding conduct of free, fair, transparent Elections and Security of General Elections, 2018. 

Representation and Responsiveness 

• The House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding non-payment of compensation by the Federal Government to the affectees of upstream of the river as a result of storing floodwater in the Mirani Dam. It was responded to by the Minister for Water Resources.
• Another CAN was deferred on the request of its mover which was about non-regularization and termination of services of 2,000 employees working in NHA for the last twenty years.
• The Chair deferred a debate on an adjournment motion with the consent of its mover which sought discussion on excessive use and sale of antibiotics. It was for the third time when the Chair deferred debate on it.
• The House took up seven out of 23 starred questions which were responded to by the relevant ministers. In addition, the lawmakers asked 21 supplementary questions.
• The House granted 90-day extension to the Special Committee for its report on  the issue of increasing incidents of child abuse.
• Sixty day extension was also granted to Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training for its report on the Area Study Centres (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
• The Chair ruled out two adjournment motions regarding continuous theft of electricity and recent visit of the US Secretary of State. Another adjournment motion about cancellation of the registration of religious seminaries was dropped due to absence of its mover.
• As many as 13 Senators spoke on matters of public importance for an hour and 27 minutes which were mostly related to political and economic affairs.

 Order and Institutionalization 

• Five lawmakers spoke on points of order for 17 minutes.
• The Opposition lawmakers walked out of the House for five minutes against remarks of a treasury lawmaker.
• An NP lawmaker pointed out the quorum soon after the walk out at 1844 hours following which the Chair ordered the bells to be rung for five minutes. However, the Chair did not ask for count after return of the Opposition lawmakers within five minutes.
• The Session was prorogued sine die.

 Transparency

• Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers is available on the website.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted