ISLAMABAD, April 19, 2018: The Sindh Assembly passed three bills on Thursday providing for the establishment of universities in districts Sukkur and Shikarpur and regularize the employees of Khairpur Medical College, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during eighth sitting of the 39^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 40 minutes.
•  The sitting started at 1150 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and one minute while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
• The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) attended the sitting for 28 minutes.
• The Opposition Leader was present for an hour and 15 minutes.
• As many as 39 (23%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 48 (29%) at the adjournment of sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PML-F, MQM and PTI attended the sitting.
• As many as six minority lawmakers were also present.

Output

• Moved by Provincial Minister for Law, the House passed the Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women University Sukkur Bill, 2018 and the Shaikh Ayaz University Shikarpur Bill, 2018.
• Sponsored by a PPPP lawmaker, the House passed the Sindh (Regularization of Contract Employees of Khairpur Medical College, Khairpur) Bill, 2018.
• Provincial Minister for Law introduced the Sindh Employees Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2018, the Sindh Employees Old-Age Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2018, the Sindh Minimum Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2018. According to the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure, the Speaker is required to refer every bill introduced in the House to the relevant standing committee. However, the House dispensed of this requirement on a motion by the concerned minister and deferred the consideration of the bills till next sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up six Starred Questions during the Question Hour. The lawmakers asked 16 supplementary questions as well.
• The Chair rejected a PML-F lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion regarding transferring 25 doctors posted in Thar to Karachi and Hyderabad.
• The House took up six Call Attention Notice highlighting the issues about funds to City Government for arrangements of PSL Final in Karachi, construction of submarine underpass Karachi on old tender; delay in completion of three Shelter Homes for Street Children in Korangi, steps to improve water supply in District West Baldia Town, problems faced by Karachi University students in depositing their fees and steps for refurbishment of Karachi Zoo.
• The House did not take up a Call Attention Notice addressed to Minister for Education & Literacy due to absence of the mover.

 Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker raised one Point of Order for two minutes.
• The Opposition lawmakers protested in the House for 24 minutes against rejection of PML-F lawmaker’s Adjournment Motion. Later, they walked out from the proceedings at 1349 hours and did not return till the adjournment of sitting.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on Friday, April 20, 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.

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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