ISLAMABAD, December 14, 2018: The Senate sitting was adjourned on Friday amid lack of quorum and opposition’s walkout from the proceedings, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings during the first sitting of 285^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for two hours and 14 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1037 hours against the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The Deputy Chairman presided over the entire sitting in the absence of the Chairman.
• The Leader of the House was present for two hour and three minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for an hour and 37 minutes.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, BAP, PTI and JUI-F attended the sitting.
• As many as 16 members (15% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and 14 (13%) at the end of the sitting.
• Only one out of four minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

• Chairman, Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination presented the committee’s reports on WHO certification of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• .The House granted 60-day extension to the Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs for presenting its report on depreciation of Pakistani Rupee (PKR) against the United States Dollar (USD).
• The House deferred a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) about unavailability of train service on Sibbi-Harnai-Shahrag-Khost route on the request of concerned minister.
• The Minister of State for Revenue responded to a CAN about devaluation of Pakistani Rupee (PKR) against the United States Dollar (USD). T he notice was addressed to the Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs.
• The House took up 11 out of 23 Starred Questions. In addition, the lawmakers asked 21 supplementary questions.

.Order and Institutionalization 

• The entire opposition staged a token walkout from proceedings against alleged targeting of opposition parties by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
• The opposition parties walked out from the proceedings again at 1243 hours against the absence of Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs to respond to the CAN addressed to his ministry. They did not return to the House till its adjournment.
• The House was adjourned after identification of lack of quorum by a NP lawmaker at 1246 hours.
• The House will meet again on December 17, 2018 (Monday) at 1400 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