• Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, February 20, 2017: The Senate adopted four private members’ resolutions and passed a bill on Monday during last (6^th) sitting of its 259^th session, says Free and Fair Election Network.

The Chair in his ruling rejected the government’s decision to place five regulatory bodies under the administrative control of the respective ministries without approval of Council of Common Interests (CCI).

Following are key observations of the proceedings:

 Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for four hours and 30 minutes.
• The sitting started three minutes behind the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The House observed prayer break for 16 minutes.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting while Deputy Chairman was also present.
• The Leader of the House attended the sitting for two hours and 37 minutes.
• The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate did not attend the sitting.
• Parliamentary leaders of JI, PPPP, PTI, JUI-F, PkMAP, PML, BNP-A, NP, BNP-M, PML-N and PML-F attended the sitting.
• Twenty-three (22% of the total membership – 104) lawmakers were present the start and 12 (11%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• None of the minority legislator attended the proceedings.

 Output

• The House adopted four resolutions to condemn casualties and injuries during bomb blast in Parachinar; implement jobs quota for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan; pay compensation package to heirs of victims of terrorism and establish a Federal Food Authority.
• The House dropped a resolution regarding strengthening the office of Wafaqi Mohtasib due to absence relevant lawmaker.
• The House passed the Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Bill, 2016 with majority vote.
• The House referred the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Articles 63, 177 and 193); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 130) and the Cost and Management Accountants (Amendment) Bill, 2017 to the relevant standing committees.
• Another bill namely the Islamabad National Hospital Bill, 2017 was deferred.
• Seven bills –the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smokers Health (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the National Cyber Security Council Bill, 2014; the Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Islamabad Prohibition of Sheesha Smoking Bill, 2016; the Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Islamabad Prohibition of Expressing Matters on Walls Bill, 2016 and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2016– were withdrawn by their respective movers.
• The Chair informed the lawmakers that time given to the standing committees for report on the Trafficking  in Persons Bill,  2016; the Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2016; the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Islamabad Restriction on Employment of Children Bill, 2016 and the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (Amendment in section 364A) had expired and the movers of the bills may bring motions for consideration of these bills.
• The members were also informed that four bills –the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (Omission of Article 182); the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill, 2016;the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (Amendment of Article 209) and the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad (Amendment) Bill, 2016 – have been received from the standing committees and they can make a motion under Rule 100 for further consideration of these bills.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Law and Justice presented report of the committee on the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Bill, 2016.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Defence presented reports of the committee on a starred question regarding number of doctors, paramedical and administrative staff working in the Cantonment Board Hospital, Rawalpindi and on the matter about orders to the residents of Cantonment areas of Loralai to vacate the land despite its allotment to them for 100 years.
• The House adopted the report of Finance Committee regarding Money Bill.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House granted extension to the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat for presentation of its report on starred questions regarding the PAS and PSP officers in BPS 20 and 21 belonging to the province of Balochistan and the policy for their posting in the country.
• The House discussed three motions under Rule 218 regarding performance of Higher Education Commission, impact of malnutrition and stunting and reported failure of PEMRA to stop airing of the material promoting sectarian violence on various TV channels.
• The Ministers made statements on two matters of public importance while the Chair directed to issue contempt notice to Secretary Planning for not briefing the minister on an issue of less allocation of funds in PSDP for the small provinces.
• Two other motions on subject of upcoming census were asked to be taken up in the meeting of the Law and Justice committee as the similar issues have been already referred to it.

 Order and Institutionalization

• Sixteen Points of Public Importance were discussed for 60 minutes.

 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 proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted