Session Prorogued Sine Die

ISLAMABAD, November 25, 2016: The Senate passed one government bill and adopted a resolution to thank Minister for Finance for his interest in raising the salary of parliamentarians, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are some key observations of the House business during 6^th (last) sitting of 255^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for two hours and 50 minutes.
• The sitting started two minutes late against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the sitting for an hour and 38 minutes while the rest of the proceedings was chaired by a member of Panel of Presiding Officers.
• The Deputy Chairman was present.
• Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House attended the sitting for two hours and 22 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 48 minutes.
• Parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-F, PkMAP, PTI and PML-N attended the sitting.
• Seven members (6% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and 25 members (24%) at the end of the sitting.
• Two minority Senators attended the sitting.

Output

• The House passed the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 after the report of Standing Committee and deleted an irrelevant clause in it.
• Tabled by PPPP lawmaker, the House adopted a resolution to thank Minister for Finance for his interest in raising the salary of parliamentarians.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Finance presented report about the Companies (Appointment of Legal Advisers) (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
• The House adopted a report after its presentation in the House by Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice. This report was on a matter referred by the House on November 10, 2015 about “implementation of Building Code, with particular reference to provisions regarding earthquake, for suggesting penal provisions, measures and mechanism regarding violation of said Code”.
• The House adopted a special report of Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions on the schemes of Health and Education Departments in South Waziristan, which were deleted from Umbrella Schemes of FATA, ADP.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) about non-construction of Chashma-Zhob transmission line despite its approval as well as inclusion in PSDP and cancellation of visas of Turkish teachers and staff of Pak-Turk schools.
• The House passed two motions under Rule 194 (1) to extend the presentation period of as many reports of various Standing Committees.
• The House took 15 out of 53 starred questions appearing on the agenda. In addition, the lawmakers also asked 30 supplementary questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• Eleven Points of Public Importance were discussed for 15 minutes.
• PTI and few Opposition lawmakers walked out of the House for seven minutes over unsatisfactory reply of State Minister for Interior on CAN regarding cancellation of visas of Turkish teachers and staff of Pak-Turk schools.

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