ISLAMABAD, January 15, 2015: The Senate passed two bills amid low attendance of lawmakers during fifth sitting of 123rd session on Friday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Some key observations are as follows:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for an hour and 54 minutes.
• The sitting started three minutes late against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Chairman was also present.
• Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader were absent.
• Federal Ministers for Climate Change; Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage; SAFRON; Railways and State Ministers for National Health Services and Regulation, CADD and Parliamentary Affairs were present.
• 16 (15%) Senators were present at the start and 27 (26%) at the time of adjournment.
• Parliamentary leaders of PTI and PkMAP were present.
• One minority member was present.

Output

• The House passed the Foreigners (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
• Another bill – the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (Amendment) Bill, 2016 – was referred to the relevant committee for further deliberations after introduction.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The Chair did not admit an adjournment motion for being in contravention with the rules. The motion was related to non-provision of funds to the personnel of Frontier Constabulary performing duties at important and sensitive places.
• The House took up a Calling Attention Notice regarding reduction in profit rates of National Saving Schemes.
• A PPP lawmaker’s privilege motion against Chief Secretary Balochistan and a Member of Coastal Development Authority was not admitted. The Chair asked the mover to raise the matter before relevant committee.
• All 29 starred questions appearing on the agenda were taken up. In addition, the lawmakers raised 17 supplementary questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• Nineteen points of public importance consumed 39 minutes of the proceeding of the House.

Transparency

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

To download the factsheet, click here for English Version, click here for Urdu Version

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.