ISLAMABAD, September 18, 2018: The Senate passed two government bills on Tuesday while the Chairman directed the Standing Committee on Interior to probe the incident of violence against an election candidate in Balochistan, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings during the first sitting of 282^nd session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for three hours and 20 minutes.
• The sitting started two minutes behind the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman was not present.
• The Leader of the House was present for three hours and two minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for an hour and 45 minutes.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• Parliamentary leaders of JI, PkMAP, PPPP, MQM, PTI, PML-N, ANP and NP attended the sitting.
• As many as 19 members (18% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and 10 (9%) at the adjournment of sitting.
• As many as two minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

• Moved by the Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, the House unanimously passed the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking (Repeal) Bill, 2018 and the West Pakistan Prohibition of Smoking in Cinema Houses (Repeal) Bill, 2018.
• Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs laid a copy of the Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Bill, 2018 in the House inviting Senators’ recommendations on the bill. The Chair directed the lawmakers to submit their recommendation within three days.
• The Senate Standing Committee on Capital Administration and Development Division presented its report on the Gun and Country Club (Administration and Management) Bill, 2017.
• The Senate Standing Committee on Power presented its report on a matter of public importance regarding load-shedding in the industrial areas of Sanghar.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House granted 60-day extension to Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs for presentation of its report on a point of public importance regarding depreciation of Pakistani rupee against the dollar.
•  As many as 27 lawmakers spoke on matters of public importance concerning political and economic affairs for two hours and 30 minutes.

• The Chair referred the issue of alleged physical torture against an election candidate in Balochistan to the Standing Committee and directed the committee to presents its report till Wednesday September 19, 2018.

Order and Institutionalization 

• The lawmakers belonging to opposition staged a four-minute walkout against the alleged physical torture against a political leader in Balochistan.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on September 19, 2018 at 1030 hours.

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