ISLAMABAD, October 18, 2012: Starting 30 minutes late, the ninth and last sitting of 86^th session met for three hours and 50 minutes on Thursday as it continued to witness low attendance of Senators. Only six legislators were present at the outset and 18 were there at the adjournment.

The Leader of the House and the parliamentary leaders of MQM, PML, and BNPA did not attend the sitting. The Leader of the Opposition was present during the sitting.

Four Senators spoke on Motion under Rule 218 on law and order in the country with particular reference to target killings and sectarian violence in Balochistan, Karachi and Gilgit-Baltistan for 40 minutes. The Federal Minister for Interior suggested the House to form a committee on this issue.

A PMLN Senator and Federal Minister for National Regulations and Services spoke on Adjournment Motion on high prices of life saving drugs for 26 minutes.

Following are some key observations of the parliamentary business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for three hour and 50 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1630 hours against the scheduled starting time of 1600 hours. The proceedings started late by 30 minutes.
• The Chairman chaired the sitting for an hour and 17 minutes while rest of the sitting was presided over by the Deputy Chairman.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition was present during the entire sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PMLF, NP, JUIF and ANP attended the sitting.
• Only six Senators were present at the outset, while 18 were present when the sitting was adjourned.
• Two Minority Senators were present.
• Six Senators applied for leave.
• The House took a 42-minute break for prayer.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Four Senators spoke on Motion under Rule 218 on law and order in the country with particular reference to target killings and sectarian violence in Balochistan, Karachi and Gilgit-Baltistan for 40 minutes. The Federal Minister for Interior suggested the House to form a committee on this issue.
• Nine out of 16 questions were taken up. Additionally 19 supplementary questions were asked.
• A PMLN Senator and Federal Minister for National Regulations and Services spoke on Adjournment Motion on high prices of life saving drugs for 26 minutes.
• The House took up a Privilege Motion by a female BNPA Senator about misbehavior of Deputy Director Gulberg Intelligence Bureau Housing Society.
• The House offered Fateha for the former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to mark the attack on her rally on 18 October 2007 in Karachi.

Output

• Two reports – the Annual report of Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for the Financial Year ended on 30th June 2011 and “Report 2” of the Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production for August-September 2012 – were presented before the House.
• The House unanimously adopted a Resolution about the condolence of Ex-Senator Muhammad Ali.

Order and Institutionalization

• Five Points of Order consumed 50 minutes of sitting time.
• Two Senators – one each of ANP and PPPP – staged a walkout over the sacked employees of KESC.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day were available to Legislators, observers and others.
• Information on Senators’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a member organization of FAFEN