ISLAMABAD, June 19, 2019: The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday continued debate on the budget statement for the year 2019-20 and supplementary budget statement for the year 2018-19, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during sixth sitting of the 5^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for seven hours and nine minutes however, the proceedings remained suspended for six minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1205 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for three hours and 15 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
• The Leaders of the House attended the sitting for an hour and 24 minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for an hour and 58 minutes.
• As many as 32 MPAs (19%) were present at the outset and as many at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, TLP, MQMP and MMAP attended the proceedings.
• All nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• As many as 27 lawmakers – 14 of PPPP, five each of PTI and MQMP and three of GDA – participated in debate on the budget for six hours and 35 minutes.
• The Chief Minister made a statement on a Matter of Public Importance regarding campaign for eradication of polio in the province which consumed 15 minutes of the proceedings.

Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker spoke on a Point of Order consuming two minutes of the proceedings.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on June 20, 2019 (Thursday) at 1100 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.

This Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted