ISLAMABAD, March 7, 2016: The Senate adopted five resolutions, passed one bill and witnessed introduction of three bills on Monday during the 6^th sitting of its ongoing 126^th session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Some key observations are as follows:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for three hours and 52 minutes.
• The sitting started thirteen minutes late against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Deputy Chairman presided over the sitting for two hours and ten minutes while rest of the proceeding was presided over by a Member of Panel of Presiding Officer.
• The House had a prayer break for 16 minutes.
• Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House attended the entire sitting.
• The Opposition Leader was not present.
• 16 (15%) senators were present at the start and 22 (21%) at the time of adjournment.
• Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, MQM, PML-N and PML-F were present.
• One minority member was present.

Output

• The House passed the Domestic Workers (Employment Rights) Bill, 2015.
• The Chair decided to forward the Un-attended Orphans (Rehabilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2016 to the Business Advisory Committee after consent of the mover for further deliberations on it.
• The House deferred the National University of Medical Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2015 due to absent of relevant minister.
• Three bills were introduced in the House including the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Contempt of Court (Amendment) Bill, 2016. All these bills were forwarded to relevant committees for further deliberations.
• The National Command Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2015 was withdrawn by the mover.
• The House adopted five resolutions pertaining to increase profit rates on National Saving Schemes; establishment of Day Care Centre in every federal government institution; revisit Indus Water Treaty 1960; purchase electronic voting machines for ECP and condemn terrorist attack in Charsada.
• A resolution about overcoming the problem of water shortage in Quetta was dropped due to absence of mover while another resolution to enhance appointments quota in OGDCL for Balochistan was withdrawn by the mover.
• The House also adopted proposed amendments in rules 184 and 210 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House discussed a motion under Rule 218 about the policy of the Government regarding the national and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Nine lawmakers spoke on it for 47 minutes.
• Another motion about situation arising out of commercial activities in residential areas /sectors was discussed by 14 lawmakers for 55 minutes.
• Two motions about hardships being faced by the employees of Frontier Constabulary and closure of the BOL media group as a consequence of action against an IT company were presented which would be discussed later.
• A motion about performance of Islamabad police against theft and street crime was dropped due to absence of mover.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.

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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.