ISLAMABAD, November 6, 2017: The Senate passed two private member’s bills and adopted three resolutions on Monday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during eleventh sitting of the 269th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for three hours and 32 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 12 minutes due to prayer break.
•  The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1530 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for an hour and 31 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of BNP-M, PML-N, PPPP, PTI, MQM, PML, PkMAP, PML-F and JUI-F attended the sitting.
• As many as 16 (15% of the total membership – 104) lawmakers were present at the start and 12 (11%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• Two minority legislators also attended the proceedings.

Output

• The House witnessed introduction of three  bills which were the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2017; the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Insertion of new section 48A and amendment of section 241) and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017. All these bills were referred to the relevant committees for further deliberations.
• The Chair referred the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017 to the relevant committee with his direction to present the report on this bill within 30 days.
• A bill – the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017 – was dropped due to absence of mover.
• The Housed passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Shops, Business and Industrial Establishments (Security) (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
• The House deferred consideration on five bills withdrawn from the Standing Committees of which notices have been received under Rule 100.
• The Chair informed the House that the Prevention of Witchcraft Bill, 2017 and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017 had been received back from the Standing Committees and were awaiting notices under Rule 100 for their consideration in the House.
• The House adopted three resolutions to impose ban on converting agricultural land and hills in Islamabad into residential and commercial land, launch a separate channel of PTV for children to foster their interest in education and payment of rental ceiling to the government employees along with their salaries.
• The House deferred a resolution to establish the Pakistan Maritime Authority on the request of  the relevant minister while another resolution to set up a branch of National Bank of Pakistan at Mangal Mela of Tehsil Domail in District Bannu was deferred on mover’s request. .

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House discussed the performance of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and eleven lawmakers participated in debate for 35 minutes. Minister for National Health Services and Regulations winded up debate on it during her eight minutes speech.
• Six lawmakers debated another motion about need to establish Independent National Tax Courts in the country for 15 minutes. Minister for Federal Education & Professional Training responded to it and spoke for three minutes.
• A motion under Rule 218 regarding reservations on recent census was converted into adjournment motion when its mover pressed for immediate discussion on the issue.
•  Three motions regarding lack of importance to institutions promoting art as well as culture, effects of Climate Change and increase in prices of electricity were dropped due to absence of movers.
• The Chair deferred a motion about strategy for desalinating the sea water for industrial and domestic consumption on request of the mover.
• Minister for Federal Education & Professional Training responded to two Points of Public Importance regarding vacant post of the Vice Chancellor, Federal Urdu University Karachi and drying up of River Sutlej.
• Three Senators debated the trichotomy of power among state institutions for 25 minutes.
• Six lawmakers raised as many Points of Public Importance consuming 26 minutes of the proceedings.

Order and Institutionalization

• Entire Opposition and PkMAP lawmakers walked out of the House for five minutes over their reservations on recent census and not initiating debate on it in the House.

 Transparency

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

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