ISLAMABAD, October 28, 2014: Starting 57 minutes behind schedule, the Sindh Assembly left unaddressed 74% agenda items on the orders of the day during the 5^th sitting of 15^th session on Tuesday, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

A MQM member tabled the Sindh Police Rules, 1934 (Amendment) Bill 2014 as a private member. It was referred to the relevant committee.

Tabled by the MQM and PPPP legislators, the House unanimously adopted two resolutions which called for resumption of rail services from Karachi and Hyderabad to Mirpurkhas and establishment of breast cancer diagnostic centers in each district of the province.

A PML-F member moved an adjournment motion to discuss high fares being charged by public transporters in the province despite a decrease in the prices of petroleum products. The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister for Transport responded to the motion.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 11 minutes.
• The sitting witnessed a delay of 57 minutes as it began at 1057 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Speaker was absent.
• The Chief Minister attended the sitting for 48 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition attended the entire sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM and PML-F attended the sitting.
• Fifty-two (31%) members were present at the start and 51 (31%) at the end while a maximum of 64 (38%) members were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.
• Four minority members attended the sitting.
• One member applied for leave.

 Output

• A MQM member introduced the Sindh Police Rules, 1934 (Amendment) Bill 2014 which was referred to the relevant committee.
• Tabled by the MQM and PPPP legislators, the House unanimously adopted two resolutions which called for resumption of rail services from Karachi and Hyderabad to Mirpurkhas and establishment of breast cancer diagnostic centers in each district of the province. Thirty-six members debated the resolutions for an hour and 43 minutes.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• A MQM member tabled a privilege motion that under Rule 144 of the Sindh Assembly’s Rules and Procedures, the Minster of Law and Parliamentary Affairs along with the Finance Minister shall include general discussion on the release and utilization of budget in the list of business. The Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs assured that a report shall be presented in the House during the next session.
• A PML-F member moved an adjournment motion to discuss high fares being charged by public transporters in the province despite a decrease in the prices of petroleum products. Three members spoke on for seven minutes. The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister for Transport responded to the motion and assured of looking into the matter.
• All six starred questions (requiring oral as well) appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded to by the relevant ministers while 15 supplementary questions were also asked.

Order and Institutionalization

• No instances of protests, walkouts or boycotts were observed.
• Members spoke on five points of orders (POs) that consumed 10 minutes of the proceedings’ time and the Speaker gave his ruling on two POs.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was available to observers and the public.

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 The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN.