ISLAMABAD, July 19, 2017: The Senate on Wednesday discussed a motion under Rule 218 regarding threat to freedom of expression due to misuse of the Electronic Crimes Act, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during 3^rd sitting of Senate’s 264^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for three hours and 44 minutes.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1530 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman, the Leader of the House and the Prime Minister were absent from the House.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for two hours and 56 minutes.
• Parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PkMAP, PML-F, PTI, MQM, PPPP, NP, ANP and JI attended the sitting.
• Eighteen Senators (17% of the total membership) were present at the outset and 13 (12%) at the end of sitting.
• Three minority Senators also attended the proceedings.

Output

• The House witnessed the presentation of four reports of various standing committees, a special committee report on the dilapidated condition of Bacha Khan Airport and fifth interim report of the special committee on marginalized segments of the society.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs wrapped up the debate on a motion under Rule 218 regarding the statement of Chairman, US Armed Services Committee in Kabul against Pakistan and the ToRs of Pakistan’s retired Army Chief, who is heading the Saudi-led Military Alliance.
• The House discussed another motion under Rule 218 regarding threat to freedom of expression due to misuse of the Electronic Crimes Act. Fourteen Senators took part in the discussion that consumed an hour and 25 minutes of the proceedings. The motion was concluded by the Minister of State for Information Technology while the Minister of State for Interior also expressed his views on matter.
• Eight lawmakers spoke for 46 minutes on clubbed motions under Rule 218 regarding the need for new accountability mechanism to ensure across-the-board accountability of all and the increasing level of corruption within the country. The motion was concluded by Minister for Law while the Chairman expressed his views consuming three minutes of the proceedings.
• The House deferred discussion on a clubbed motion under Rule 218 regarding the report of JIT constituted to probe Panama Papers case and the propaganda against national institutions, including Supreme Court of Pakistan, until next sitting.
• A PPPP lawmaker spoke for 10 minutes on a motion under Rule 218 regarding investigation of the NAB on mega scam in DHA Lahore and Rawalpindi. The motion was concluded by the Minister for Law.
• Another two motions under Rule 218 were deferred by the House.

Order and Institutionalization

• The Leader of the Opposition spoke on a Point of Order regarding the issue of missing person from Islamabad consuming three minutes of the proceedings.
• The PPPP lawmaker raised a matter of public importance consuming three minutes of the proceedings.

Transparency

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

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