ISLAMABAD, June 9, 2016: The Senate debated the process of proposed re-verification of the CNICs and Finance Bill 2016 during the 6^th sitting of its 249^th session on Thursday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Chairman Senate took suo moto notice of various incidents of immolation of girls and strongly denounced such acts. He asked Standing Committee on Human Rights to submit report on it while proper legislation to avoid occurrence of such incidents in future was also discussed in the House.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for four hours and 59 minutes.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The House had a prayer break for 25 minutes.
• The Chairman chaired the sitting for four hours and 11 minutes while rest of the proceeding was presided over by the Deputy Chairman.
• The Leader of the House attended the sitting for four hours while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 123 minutes.
• Finance Minister attended the sitting for 45 minutes.
• Parliamentary leaders of JUI-F, BNP-M, PML-N, PkMAP, PPPP, NP, PML-F, ANP and PML attended the sitting.
• 18 members (17% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and 14 members (13%) at the end of the sitting.
• Four minority Senators attended the sitting.

Output

• Chairman Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage presented report about budgetary allocations and its utilisation by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage for the current financial year 2015-16 (up to March 31, 2016).

Representation and Responsiveness

• Three Senators expressed their views on a commenced motion to make recommendations to National Assembly on the Finance Bill, 2016.They spoke on it for 86 minutes while Minister for Finance expressed his views for 10 minutes.
• The House discussed an Adjournment Motion (AM) about the process of re-verification of the CNICs of all citizens of the country and the problems the people might face. Eighteen lawmakers spoke on it for 79 minutes while State Minister for Interior concluded debate on it during his 17 minutes speech. .
• The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs). The first CAN was about non-implementation of notification about increase in the pension of EOBI pensioners while other notice was about delay in finalization and implementation of electoral reforms.
• An adjournment motion sponsored by MQM lawmaker was admitted for discussion which was about agreement of India, Iran and Afghanistan for development of Chah Bahar Port and its negative impact on Pakistan.

Order and Institutionalisation 

• Eighteen Points of Public Importance consumed 46 minutes of the proceeding.

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