ISLAMABAD, April 26, 2012: Starting two hours and five minutes behind schedule, the third sitting of the Sindh Assembly’s 35^th session lasted an hour and 50 minutes on Thursday. 

 It was marked by low attendance of the Members with nine present at the start and 45 when the sitting was adjourned.

 The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting. The parliamentary leaders of the PML (F-B), PML and MQM were present.

 The Sindh Government Servants’ Benevolent Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was not taken up.

 The following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

 Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Sindh Assembly met for an hour and 50 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1135 hours instead of the scheduled starting time of 0930 hours. The proceedings were delayed by two hours and five minutes.
• The Speaker chaired the entire sitting.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of the PML (F-B), PML and MQM were present while those of PMLF, ANP and NPP did not attend the sitting.
• Only nine (5% of 165) Members were present at the start while 45 (27%) were there when the sitting was adjourned.
• Three minority Members were present during the proceedings.
• Two Members applied for leave to be absent.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• All seven questions listed for the Question Hour were taken up and responded to by the relevant minister. Additionally 21 Supplementary questions were also raised.

 Output

• The Sindh Government Servants’ Benevolent Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was not taken up.

 Order and Institutionalization

• A total of 11 Points of Order were raised, which consumed 37 minutes. However, none of the Points of Order attracted the Chair’s formal ruling.
• There were no instances of protests, boycotts or walkouts.

 Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to Legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

• The Quorum, visibly lacking at various stages during the sitting, was not pointed out by any Member.

 

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