ISLAMABAD, January 10, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh passed two government bills and adopted two private members’ resolutions on Thursday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

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

Members’ Participation

• The Assembly met for two hours and 38 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1110 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 35 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
• The Leaders of the House and Opposition attended the entire sitting.
• As many as 94 lawmakers (56%) were present at outset and 88 lawmakers (52%) at adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PTI, GDA, TLP and MMAP attended the sitting.
• As many as seven out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

• The Select Committees constituted to review the Code of Civil Procedure (Sindh Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Bill, 2018 presented their reports on the legislative proposals.
• The House considered the Code of Civil Procedure (Sindh Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Bill, 2018 as reported by the select committees and passed both bills.
• The Minister for Zakat and Ushr introduced the Sindh Zakat and Ushr (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The bill was not referred to any standing or select committee.
• Moved by a MQMP lawmaker, the House unanimously adopted two resolution condemning the assassination of former MQM lawmaker Ali Raza Abidi and recommending the provincial government to take up the matter of natural gas load shedding with the federal government. As many as ten lawmakers debated the later resolution for an hour and five minutes.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up four Call Attention Notices (CANs) highlighting issues concerning supply of gas to CNG pumps from Federal Government, increase in private schools’ fees, separate lines for heavy traffic at toll plazas and representation of Sindh in Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The ministers for Parliamentary Affairs, Transport, and Education & Literacy responded to these notices.
• The House deferred a CAN regarding an illegal gravel and sand point in Karachi due to the absence of the mover.
• The House admitted a PPPP lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion regarding federal government’s prioritization of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award for discussion on Monday, January 14, 2019.
• The House deferred a Privilege Motion (PM) due to absence of the mover.

• The House took up five Starred Questions addressed to the Ministry of Finance. The lawmakers asked 17 supplementary questions as well.

Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker raised a Point of Order consuming three minutes of the proceedings
• The House was adjourned to meet again on January 11, 2019 (Friday) 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, a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.