ISLAMABAD, July 13, 2018: The Senate on Friday discussed the preparations by caretaker government for holding peaceful as well as free and fair elections on July 25, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during the fourth sitting of the 279^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for two hours and 26 minutes.
•  The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1030 hours.
• The Chairman Senate presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting.
• The Opposition Leader was present two hours and three minutes.
• As many as 14 (13%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 12 (11%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, ANP, MQM, NP and BNP-M attended the sitting.
• One minority lawmaker was present

  Output

• Chairman, Standing Committee on Capital Administration and Development Division presented report of the Committee on a point of public importance regarding price hike on kitchen items in weekly bazars of Islamabad.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Moved by the Leader of Opposition, the House passed two motions under rule 204 authorizing the Chairman Senate to constitute Special Committees to examine the special audit report on causes of decline in Tax collection of tobacco sector and on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
• The House passed six motions under Rule 194 (1) granting extension to five Standing Committees for presentation of their reports on various parliamentary interventions.
• The Question Hour was suspended due to absence of relevant ministers.
• Sponsored by the Leader of the Opposition, the House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding the inclusion of Pakistan in FATF’s Grey List. It was responded to by the Minister for Finance.
• Ministers for Interior and Law responded on the concerns expressed by lawmakers regarding free, fair and peaceful conduct of General Elections, 2018. Thirteen lawmakers also spoke on it for an hour and 15 minutes.
• The House witnessed ministerial response on a matter of public importance regarding non-availability of electricity in Makran Division.

 Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker spoke on a point of order for six minutes while another legislator spoke on a point of personal explanation for one minute.
• A PkMAP lawmaker walked out of the House for five minutes when the Chair did not allow him to speak on a matter.
• The Chair disallowed the Leader of the Opposition to raise question on her CAN following which she walked out the House at 1255 hours. Only one minute after her walkout, the Chair adjourned the House to meet again on July 16, 2018 (Monday) at 1500 hours.

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