ISLAMABAD, November 13, 2018: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh passed a private member’s resolution urging the government to ensure free education in private schools for disadvantaged children as provided under section 10 of the Sindh Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2013, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Tuesday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during third sitting of the ongoing (third) session:

Members’ Participation

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 45 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1135 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 18 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
• The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for two hours and two minutes.
• As many as 53 lawmakers (32%) were present at the outset and 66 (39%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, TLP and MMAP attended the sitting.
• As many as seven out of nine minority lawmakers were present during the proceedings.

Output

• The House rejected a PML-F lawmaker’s resolution seeking removal of five members of the Committee for the welfare of Non-Muslims of Sindh.
• The House passed a PTI lawmakers’ resolution recommending the government to ensure implementation on the provisions of section 10 of the Sindh Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2013. The section requires private schools to provide free education to 10% of the total strength of class-I.
• A MMA lawmaker withdrew a motion for adoption of a resolution regarding ban on construction of high rise buildings in Lyari, Karachi following an assurance by the Minister of Local Government.
• The House did not take up two private members’ resolutions.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The Chair ruled out an Adjournment Motion of a MQM lawmaker regarding unavailability of public transport in Karachi. The mover spoke for 22 minutes on the motion.
• The House took up four Starred Questions during the Question Hour. The Minister for Excise and Taxation responded to the questions. The lawmakers asked 22 supplementary questions as well.
• The House did not address three private motions and five motions for amendments in rules of procedure.

Order and Institutionalization

• The opposition lawmakers staged a four-minute protest followed by a walkout for five minutes against the Chair’s refusal to allow a lawmaker belonging to GDA to talk on an Adjournment Motion.

• The House was adjourned to meet again on November 14, 2018 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 Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation, a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.