Senate: Five Lawmakers Discuss Finance Bill

ISLAMABAD, June 14, 2016: The Senate continued debate on a commenced motion to make recommendations to the National Assembly on Finance Bill, 2016 during 9th sitting of 249th session on Tuesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

  • The Senate met for three hours and nine minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1103 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
  • The House had a prayer break for 20 minutes.
  • The Chairman chaired the entire sitting while the Deputy Chairman was not present.
  • The Leader of the House attended the sitting for 110 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 77 minutes.
  •  Finance Minister did not attend the sitting.
  •  Parliamentary leaders of BNP-M, PPPP, ANP, PML-N, PML, PTI, ANP, PkMAP, MQM, JUI-F and PML-F attended the sitting.
  • Ten members (9% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and 22 members (21%) at the end of the sitting.
  • Three minority Senators attended the sitting.

Output

  • On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, an Independent lawmaker presented report on the Deposit Protection Corporation Bill, 2016.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • Five Senators expressed their views on a commenced motion to make recommendations to National Assembly on the Finance Bill, 2016.They spoke on it for 79 minutes.
  • The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs). The first CAN was regarding the lack of transport and other basic facilities in most of the Government schools in Islamabad while other notice was about delay in   population census.
  • The House passed a motion under sub-rule (1) of rule 194 to extend the deadline for presentation of report on the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

Order and Institutionalization 

  • Twenty-nine Points of Public Importance consumed 62 minutes of the proceeding.

Transparency

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

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