ISLAMABAD, February 7, 2022: The Senate passed three private members’ bills and adopted two resolutions on Monday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings during the 15th sitting of 317th session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for three hours and 51 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 24 minutes due to prayer breaks.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 03:00 pm.
• The deputy chairman presided over the entire proceedings in the absence of the chairman.
• The leader of the house attended the entire sitting.
• The opposition leader was present for 13 minutes.
• As many as 19 lawmakers (19%) were present at the outset and 13 (16%) at the adjournment of sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of ANP, PTI, PPPP, BAP, NP, JI, BNP, PkMAP and PML attended the sitting.
• Three out of four minority lawmakers were present.

 Output

• The House passed three private members’ bills including the Guardians and Wards (Amendment) Bill, 2020; the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• The House witnessed introduction of eight private members’ bills which were the Prevention and Rehabilitation of Vagrants Bill, 2022; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Amendment of Articles 1, 51, 59, 106, 154, 175A, 198 and 218); the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2022;  the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2022; the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Special Technology Zones Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
• Two bills were deferred due to the absence of movers.
• The House adopted two resolutions recommending the government to bridge gap between growing demand and supply of water in Islamabad and ensure publication of updated laws, rules and regulations on the websites of each ministry of division.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• Nine lawmakers spoke on a motion under rule 218 for an hour and 56 minutes which was about developing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s role of regional peace.
• The Chair deferred a motion under rule 218 due to absence of mover while another motion was not taken up.
• Four lawmakers spoke on points of public importance for nine minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• A PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at at 06:49 pm which was found incomplete upon counting and the House was adjourned to meet again on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at 10:30 am.

Transparency

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

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