ISLAMABAD, May 9, 2018: The Senate on Wednesday passed a motion to adopt 156 recommendations on the Finance Bill, 2018 containing the Annual Budget Statement as reported by the Standing Committee on Finance, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Following are key observations of the proceedings of 8^th sitting of 277^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for three hours and five minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 11 minutes after earthquake shocks.
• 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 attended the sitting for two hours and 33 minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for two hour and 37 minutes.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• Parliamentary leaders of PTI, PPPP, JUI-F, JI and PkMAP were present.
• Sixteen members (15% of the total membership) were present at the outset and 14 (13%) at the end of sitting.
• Two minority Senators attended the sitting.

Output

• Chairman, Standing Committee on Finance present report on the proposals for making recommendations on the Finance Bill, 2018, containing the Annual Budget Statement.
• The House adopted 156 recommendations on the Finance Bill, 2018 containing the Annual Budget Statement as reported by the Standing Committee on Finance.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Nine Senators took part in the debate on the Finance Bill 2018, consuming two hours and seven minutes of the proceedings.
• The House took up two Calling Attention Notice (CANs) regarding sufferings of people due to excessive load shedding and transfer of funds of the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) to the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, Climate Change and other Ministries and Departments of the Federal Government. These CANs were responded to State Ministers for Power and Finance respectively.
• Minister for Parliamentary Affairs responded to a matter of public importance raised by the Leader of the Opposition in previous sitting.

 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