ISLAMABAD, April 17, 2017: The Sindh Assembly passed the Ilma University Bill, 2016, moved as supplementary agenda and left most its regular agenda unaddressed on Tuesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.
Following are key observations of the proceedings during fifth sitting of the 32nd session:
Members’ Participation
- The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 51 minutes.
- The sitting started at 1152 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
- The proceedings remained suspended for three minutes for Azaan break.
- The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and 15 minutes while a Member of Panel of Chairpersons chaired the rest of proceedings. The Deputy Speaker was not present.
- The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition remained present for an hour and 41 minutes.
- Forty-three lawmakers (25%) were present at the outset and 41 (24%) at the adjournment of sitting.
- The Parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM and PTI attended the sitting.
- Five minority members were present.
Output
- Moved by a PPPP lawmaker, the House passed the Ilma University Bill, 2016.
- The House rejected two resolutions regarding establishment of Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Mirpurkhas and Cadet College in Karachi. These resolutions were moved by MQM lawmakers.
- The House did not take up three more resolutions and 23 notices of amendments in the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.
Representation and Responsiveness
- The House took up five out of 11 Starred Questions, however, only two questions were responded to by the relevant minister while remaining three were dropped due to absence of the movers. The lawmakers asked 14 Supplementary Questions.
- The House did not take up five Private Motions included in the agenda.
Order and Institutionalization
- The lawmakers spoke on three Points of Order consuming 15 minutes of the sitting.
- Lawmakers from MQM and PTI staged a token walkout over ignoring their Adjournment Motions.
Transparency
- Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and public.
- 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.
