ISLAMABAD, May 14, 2020: The requisitioned Session of Senate was prorogued on Thursday after two days debate on measures to tackle COVID-19, observes the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings of the second & last sitting of 298^th session requisitioned by the opposition lawmakers:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for six hours and 34 minutes.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1200 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House was present for 53 minutes while the Opposition Leader attended the sitting for two hours and 11 minutes.
• Parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PkMAP PML-N, BNP-M, MQM, JI and PTI attended the sitting.
• Twenty-one members (20% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and 16 (15%) at the end of sitting.
• Two minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output 

• Tabled by the Leader of the Opposition, the House unanimously adopted a joint resolution to express gratitude to China over strong support and timely assistance to Pakistan during COVID-19.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• The House concluded discussion on five clubbed Motions under Rule 218 related to situation arising out of the coronavirus and the government’s response as well as policy to tackle issues emerged after this pandemic in Pakistan. Twenty-three lawmakers, Advisor to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs and Minister for Foreign Affairs spoke on these motions for six hours and seven minutes. The lawmakers debated government strategy and also proposed some recommendations to combat this pandemic.

Order and Institutionalization 

• A PML-N lawmaker spoke on a point of personal explanation for three minutes.
• Two lawmakers spoke on points of order for three minutes.
• The Session was prorogued sine die.

Transparency

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