ISLAMABAD, October 24, 2017: The Senate on Tuesday passed the Public Interest Disclosures Bill, 2017 and referred two other bills to the relevant committees, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during second sitting of the 269^th session:

 Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for three hours and 20 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 34 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Chairman was not present.
• The Leader of the House attended the sitting for two hours and 16 minutes.
• The Leader of the Opposition was present for 34 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, JUI-F, PML-F, PkMAP, MQM, PTI, JI , ANP and PML-N attended the sitting.
• As many as 15 (14% of the total membership – 104) lawmakers were present at the start and 12 (11%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• Two minority legislators also attended the proceedings.

Output

• Tabled by Minister for Law and Justice, the House passed the Public Interest Disclosures Bill, 2017 after clause by clause reading.
• The Chair referred the Auditor-General’s (Functions, Powers and Terms and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Pakistan Tobacco Board (Amendment) Bill, 2017 to relevant committees after their introduction.
• Minister for Law and Justice presented the Annual Report for the year 2016-2017 of the Central Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the state of the Economy.
• On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, a member of the Committee presented report on an Adjournment Motion regarding the impact of third tier Federal Excise Duty (FED) on tobacco product.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding vacant post of the Chairman, Council of Islamic Ideology which was responded to by Minister for Law and Justice.
• The Chair deferred another CAN about recent increase in power tariff on minister’s request.
•  Eleven lawmakers raised as many Points of Public Importance consuming 40 minutes of the proceedings.
• The House granted 30-day extension to Standing Committee on Finance for presentation of report  on the Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Interest on Private Loans Bill, 2017.
• Two Adjournment Motions on the agenda were withdrawn by their respective movers while one was deferred on Minister’s request.
• As many as 16 out of 35 Starred Questions were taken up for answers during the proceedings. In addition, lawmakers asked 38 supplementary questions.
• The chaired referred a privilege motion of PTI lawmaker against an official of Public Works Department to Privilege Committee.

Order and Institutionalization

• Three lawmakers spoke on as many Points of Order for three minutes.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers is available on the Senate website.

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This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted