ISLAMABAD, December 18, 2018: The Senate adopted four resolutions and referred three private members’ bills to the relevant committees after their introduction, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings of the third sitting of 285^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for four hours and 16 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 13 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1400 hours.
• The Deputy Chairman presided over the entire sitting in the absence of the Chairman.
• The Leader of the House attended the sitting for three hours and 34 minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition remained present for three hours and 24 minutes.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PPPP, PTI, PML-F, ANP and NP attended the proceedings.
• Five Senators (4%of the total membership) were present at the outset and nine (8%) at the end of the sitting.
• Two among four minority members attended the sitting.

Output

• The House witnessed presentation of three private members’ bills which were the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (Amendment of Fourth Schedule), the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (Amendment of Article 27) and the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2018. All these bills were referred to the relevant committees for further consideration.
• The House rejected the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2018 with majority vote while another bill – the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (Amendment of Article 260) – was deferred on the request of mover.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Interior presented report on the Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Interest on Private Loans Bill, 2017.
• Tabled by PPPP lawmaker, the House adopted a supplementary resolution to condemn Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir.
• The House adopted three other resolutions to implement Islamic economic system, use complete name of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa instead of its acronym (KPK or KP) and release three percent of funds from the NFC award for FATA.
• A resolution regarding implementation on Indus Waters Treaty was deferred on mover’s request while other to include biographies of Martyrs in curriculum was dropped due to absence of mover.
• The Chair referred the proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012 to the relevant committee

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House debated a motion under Rule 218 regarding violations of human rights in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Five lawmaker spoke on it for 35 minutes while Minister for Human Rights concluded debate in her eight minutes speech.
• Eight lawmakers discussed the motion regarding environmental changes for 44 minutes. Minister of State for Climate Change winded up debate on it and spoke for nine minutes.
• Two other motions under Rule 218 were not taken up by the House due to absence of their movers.
• An Independent lawmaker spoke on a point of personal explanation for seven minutes.
• Eight lawmakers raised as many matters of public importance consuming 26 minutes of the proceedings.

Order and Institutionalization 

• The House was adjourned to meet again on December 19, 2018 at 1400 hours.

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