ISLAMABAD, January 27, 2020: The Senate adopted five resolutions and passed two private members’ bills on Monday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 14^th sitting of the 295^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for three hours and three minutes.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman was not present.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for two hours and 32 minutes.
• As many as 14 lawmakers (13%) were present at the outset and 16 (15%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of JI, PML-N, PTI, NP, PkMAP, JUI-F and PPPP attended the sitting.
• As many as two out of four minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• The House passed two bills including the Maternity and Paternity Leave Bill, 2018 and the Islamabad Compulsory Vaccination and Protection of Health Workers Bill, 2019 with majority vote.
• Chairperson Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, National History and Literary Heritage presented four reports of the Committee on matters raised in the House through points of public importance.
• A bill – the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Amendment of Article 198) – was deferred till next private member’s day following the consent of the mover.
• A motion under Rule 115 regarding withdrawal of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (Amendment of Article 260) was deferred due to absence of the mover.
• The House passed four resolutions which demanded to include biographies of Martyrs awarded Nishan-e-Haider in curriculum, make all public buildings, hospitals, recreational and educational facilities accessible for persons with disabilities (PWDs), construct an Interchange at village Bhong, Tehsil Sadiqabad on Multan-Sukkur Motorway and summon the Ambassador of Norway and convey the sense of shock and anguish felt by the people of Pakistan against the blasphemous act by the member of SIAN.
• Another resolution adopted by the House paid tribute to the popular poet Late Ahmed Faraz on the eve of his birthday.
• A resolution about steps for prevention of epidemic infectious diseases in Islamabad was deferred due to the absence of the mover.
• Moved by a PPPP lawmaker, the House passed three proposed amendments in the Rules 130, 162A and 167 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012.

 Representation and Responsiveness 

• The House deferred four motions under Rule 218 on the requests of movers. These motions were regarding construction of Sindh Barrage on River Indus, progress on the project of Diamir Bhasha Dam, WHO report about rise of Polio cases in Pakistan and incidents of kidnapping and abuse of children in Islamabad.
• A motion regarding decrease in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country was dropped due to the mover’s absence from the House without intimation.
• The House discussed four motions under Rule 218 about functioning of newly established National Coastal Development Authority, health problems faced by children due to malnutrition in Islamabad, performance of the FBR during the last six months and security challenges emerging in the Middle East region. Sixteen lawmakers discussed these motions for an hour and 14 minutes while Ministers for Parliamentary Affairs and Economic Affairs Division concluded debate on them consuming 19 minutes of the proceedings.
• Seven lawmakers and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs spoke for 28 minutes regarding non-payment of salaries to journalists in various media houses. The Chair directed the Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting to submit report on it within a week and ensure steps for payment of salaries to media workers.

 Order and Institutionalization

• Five lawmakers including the Leader of the Opposition spoke on points of order for 12 minutes.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on January 28, 2020 (Tuesday) at 1500 hours.

Transparency

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

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