• Senate Adopts Recommendations on Finance Supplementary (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019

ISLAMABAD, February 1, 2019: The Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs could not conclude debate on the Finance Supplementary (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Senate due to lack of quorum amidst oppositions’ walkout on Friday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during ninth (last) sitting of the 286^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for 58 minutes.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Chairman did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of House attended the entire sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for 28 minutes.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• Eleven lawmakers (10%) were present at the outset and 15 (14%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, PPPP and PTI attended the sitting.
• One out of four minority lawmakers was present.

Output

• The Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs laid the First Quarterly Report for the year 2018-2019 of the Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the state of Pakistan’s Economy.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs presented report of the Committee on the Finance Supplementary (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019. The House adopted 55 recommendations on the Finance Supplementary (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 as reported by the Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs.
• The House granted 60-day extension to the Special Committee for presentation of its reports on the increasing incidents of child abuse.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Sponsored by a JI lawmaker, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs responded to a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding increase in the expenses of Hajj by the government this year.
• Another CAN regarding revision of flight duty time limitation of PIA was deferred on the request of relevant minister.
• The Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs spoke on the Finance Supplementary (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 for two minutes. He could not complete his speech due to lack of quorum.

Order and Institutionalization 

• Five lawmakers spoke on Points of Order for 10 minutes.
• The opposition lawmakers walked out from the proceedings at 1101 hours against the ministerial absence in the House to respond to the parliamentary interventions and not fulfilling the Constitutional obligation by the government about laying of the ordinances in the Parliament. Some of the lawmakers including Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs returned to the House at 1114 hours but they left soon after presentation of a report of the Standing Committee.
• A PML-N lawmaker pointed out the lack of quorum at 1108 hours that led to the headcount and ringing of the bells for five minutes. The proceedings resumed at 1114 hours but the lawmaker again pointed out the quorum at 1127 hours that led to announcement by the Chair to prorogue the session sine die.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers is available on the website.

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This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted