ISLAMABAD, April 19, 2016: The Senate on Tuesday discussed the revelations made in Panama Leaks about important personalities in Pakistan and implications of Pervez Musharraf’s departure from the country, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Some key observations are as follows:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for four hours and 53 minutes. .
• The sitting started at 1502 hours against its scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The House had a prayer break for 12 minutes.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman was present.
• The Leader of the House attended the entire sitting and the Opposition Leader was present for 69 minutes.
• Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• 16 (15%) senators were present at the start and 20 (19%) at the time of adjournment.
• Parliamentary leaders of JUI-F, BNP-M, JI, PkMAP, ANP, PPPP, PML-N, PTI, PML-F and NP were present.
• All four minority members were present.

Output

• The House witnessed the presentation of four reports of the standing committees on legislative proposals including the Offences in Respect of Banks (Special Courts) (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Equity Participation Fund (Repeal) Bill, 2016; the Banks (Nationalization) (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
• The Chair gave a ruling about disallowing Chairman Standing Committee on Finance to present special report about privatization of Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC) on April 14.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) about non-convening of meeting of the National Finance Commission for the constitution of new NFC Award while another notice regarding rape committed by a male nurse with a  female patient admitted in the ICU Ward of PIMS was not taken up.
• The Chair admitted an Adjournment Motion (AM) to discuss the arrest of a high profile spy of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) operating across the country especially in Balochistan. Two hours in-camera briefing will be held on April 20 (Wednesday) about the same issue.
• The Chair did not admit an AM to discuss the consequences of construction of a 1200 MW coal power plant at Sahiwal for being provincial subject.
• The House took all 25 starred questions appearing on the agenda. In addition, the lawmakers also asked 30 supplementary questions while the Chair asked the Privilege Committee to forward notice to Secretary Food over non-submission of reply relevant to his ministry
• Eleven lawmakers discussed the revelations made in Panama Leaks relating to a number of important personalities/dignitaries of Pakistan for 76 minutes.
• Seventeen lawmakers discussed the implications of Gen. (R) Pervez Musharraf’s departure from the country for 82 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• One Point of Order consumed three minutes of the sitting.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.

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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