ISLAMABAD, March 9, 2018: The Senate completed its 15^th Parliamentary Year on Friday, after completing the fifth sitting and prorogation of the 274^th session announced by the Chairman, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

The Upper House held 97 sittings during 14 sessions (261^st – 274th) while eight sittings of the 260^th session were also held during the 15^th Parliamentary Year started from March 12, 2017.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during the fifth (last) sitting of 274th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for two hours and 20 minutes.
•  The sitting started at 1533 hours against the scheduled time of 1530 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the sitting for an hour and 18 minutes while rests of the proceedings were chaired by the Deputy Chairman.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
• As many as 14 (13%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 44 (42%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of MQM, PML-F, PPPP, BNP-M, ANP, NP and PkMAP attended the sitting.
• Two minority lawmakers were present.

Output 

• On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Privatization and Statistics, a member of the Committee presented special report of the Committee for the period from August, 2017 to February, 2018.
• On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, a member of the Committee presented special reports of the Committee for the period from May 2015 to March, 2018 and on the matters related to the corruption cases of FBR, agriculture financing and hiring / appointments made by the ZTBL.
• Convener, Special Committee on the performance of PIA presented final report regarding the performance of PIA.
• Chairman, Standing Committee on Law and Justice presented report on the matter as to whether an amendment of penalty of death by hanging publicly is required or not in view of rule 354 of the Prisons Rules, 1978.
• He also presented reports regarding the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (Amendment of Article 255) and the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (substitution of Article 251).
• Chairman Select Committee on Islamabad Restriction on Employment of Children Bill, 2017 presented report on the Bill to prohibit the employment of children and to restrict the employment of adolescents in certain occupations and processes.
• Chairman, Standing Committee on Planning presented report on a starred question regarding provision of clean drinking water for Gwadar and CPEC projects.
• Chairman, Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research presented report on a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding price of sugarcane and the question of subsidy between the Federal Government and Provincial Governments.

• The House adopted two reports following motions under Rule 196 (1). These reports were of Special Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor regarding visits to Gwadar from May 2 to May, 2017 and visit to China from November, 29 to December 3, 2017.
• Another report of Standing Committee on Finance was not considered by the House which was regarding corruption cases of FBR, agriculture financing and hiring as well as appointments made by the ZTBL.

• On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Climate Change, a member of the Committee presented report on National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House did not take up two CANs regarding non-allocation and non-releasing of funds for PSDP 2017-18 for construction of six lane Motorway from D.I. Khan to Zhob and the circular debt which has soared to a record Rs. 922 billion.
• Two outgoing Senators made farewell speeches for 25 minutes. Chairman Senate and Deputy Chairman Senate made their farewell remarks and spoke about parliamentary contributions they made during last three years. They spoke for 48 and three minutes respectively.

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