ISLAMABAD, January 21, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh held a discussion on the prospects of Karachi’s Circular Railway on Monday while deferring its legislative business, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during eighth sitting of the fourth session:

Members’ Participation

• The Assembly met for four hours and 16 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for six minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1448 hours against the scheduled time of 1400 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for three hours and 14 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for four hours and eight minutes.
• As many as 65 lawmakers (39%) were present at outset and 55 lawmakers (33%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leader of PPPP attended the sitting.
• As many as six out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

• The House deferred a report of the Select Committee on the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology Bill, 2018 till Friday, January 25, 2019.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The Minister for Katchi Abadies responded to five Starred Questions. The lawmakers asked 24 supplementary questions as well while the Chair disallowed a supplementary question.
• The Ministers for Energy and Local Government responded to Call Attention Notices (CANs) regarding the installation of Four Solar Projects and water supply in Metrovill area of Karachi. The remaining notices on the revival of Sick Industrial Units, dysfunctional Sindh Higher Education Commission and appointment of retired officers in DOW University were not addressed.

• The House held a discussion on a PPPP lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion regarding Federal government’s commitment on Karachi’s Circular Railway. As many as 17 lawmakers debated the motion for two hours and 38 minutes.
• An Adjournment Motion (AM) of PPPP lawmaker regarding overbilling by SEPCO in district Naushero Feroze and a Privilege Motion of PTI lawmaker lapsed due to absence of the movers.

Order and Institutionalization

• As many as four lawmakers raised Points of Order (POs) consuming five minutes of the proceedings.
• A MQM lawmaker staged a two-minute protest when the Chair disallowed him to speak on admissibility of an AM.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on January 22, 2019 (Tuesday) at 1000 hours.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers was available to the media and observers.

This Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.