ISLAMABAD, May 4, 2015: The Sindh Assembly passed three bills amid low attendance of lawmakers on Monday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The sitting started 77 minutes behind the schedule with 49 (29%) lawmakers present at the start and 48 (28%) at the time of adjournment.

The House passed the Indus University of Health Sciences Bill 2015, the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Bill 2014 and the Sindh Finance (Amendment) Bill 2015, which were all introduced by the Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

The sitting also witnessed a walkout of PML-N, PML-F and PTI lawmakers against the Chair, who didn’t allow them to table a resolution.

Following are some key observations of the assembly business:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings:

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 20 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1117 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for 94 minutes.
• The remaining proceedings were chaired by the Deputy Speaker.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Opposition Leader was present for 120 minutes.
• 49 members (29%) were present at the start and 48 (28%) at the end of the sitting.
• A maximum of 65 members (39%) were present.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-N, PTI and PML-F were present.
• Four out of nine minority members attended the sitting.
• No member applied for leave.

Output

• The House passed the Indus University of Health Sciences Bill 2015, the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Bill 2014 and the Sindh Finance (Amendment) Bill 2015.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Seven out of 18 questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded by the relevant government departments. In addition, the lawmakers raised 19 supplementary questions.
• The House took up an adjournment motion regarding illegal land occupation in Jamshoro. However, the Chair termed it “out of order” after it was opposed by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
• An MQM lawmaker’s privilege motion against the Hyderabad Development Authority’s Director General was taken up. However, it was not referred to the standing committee as the mover was assured by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to resolve the matter.

Order and Institutionalization

• Two points of order (POs) consumed three minutes of the sitting.
• PML-N, PML-F and PTI lawmakers walked out of the House at 1158 hours against the Chair for not allowing them to table a resolution. They did not return to the House till sitting’s adjournment. Earlier, the same lawmakers had staged an eight-minute protest before the dais of the Speaker over the same issue.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the members, observers and the public.
• Information on members’ attendance was available to the observers and the public.

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