ISLAMABAD, July 12, 2021: The Senate passed a private member’s bill, adopted three resolutions and referred 13 other legislative proposals to committees after their introduction in the House, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Monday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during first sitting of 313rd session:

 Members’ Participation

• The House met for three hours and 55 minutes.
• The sitting started at 04:04 pm the scheduled time of 04:00 pm.
• The chairman presided over the entire proceedings.
• The deputy chairman was not present.
• The leader of the House attended the entire sitting.
• The leader of the opposition was not present.
• As many as 23 lawmakers (23 percent) were present at the outset and 19 (19 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PTI, PML-N, JI and JUIP attended the sitting.
• Two out of four minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• Sponsored by a PPPP lawmaker, the House passed the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill, 2021.
• The House witnessed introduction of 13 private members’ bills which were referred to the relevant committees for further consideration. Seven bills sought amendments in articles 9, 24A, 38A, 51 and 106, 89, 130 and 160 of the Constitution, while six other bills were the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Amendment of Sections 6 and 300); the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Ibadat International University Islamabad Bill, 2021; the Islamabad Capital Territory Domestic Workers Bill, 2021 and the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
• Three bills on the agenda were deferred which included the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Civil Aviation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Islamabad Rent Restriction (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• The Chair referred a motion to the committee which sought amendments in Rule 9 and insertion of the Fourth Schedule in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Senate 2012. The motion was tabled by a PPPP lawmaker that was regarding the procedure to elect chairman and deputy chairman Senate.
• The House unanimously adopted three resolutions demanding the government to formulate an emergency national action plan to fight the impending water crisis, start metro bus service from Faizabad to Rawat on priority basis and ensure provision of 3 percent share in the NFC Award for the merged districts of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
• The Chair referred a resolution to the relevant standing committee which recommended to grant special tax exemptions to the small traders and low salaried class of Karachi and Hyderabad amid lock down situation.
• Another resolution demanding payment to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the head of net profit on hydropower generation was deferred following the consent of the mover.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Eight lawmakers participated in debate on three motions under rule 218 which were responded to by the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs. The debate on these motions continued for an hour and 44 minutes which were regarding need to counter terrorism strategy, continuation of Pakistan in the grey list of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and steps being taken by the Government for the release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.
• Two motions under Rule 218 were deferred which were regarding unscheduled load- shedding in the country and payment of the net hydel profit in electricity to the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

 Order and Institutionalization

• The House was adjourned to meet again on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 05:00 pm.

Transparency

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