ISLAMABAD, July 7, 2015: The Senate passed two bills amid low attendance of lawmakers on Tuesday during 2^nd sitting of the 117^th session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

The sitting started at 1305 hours against the scheduled time of 1300 hours with 17 (16%) lawmakers present at the start and 38 (37%) at the time of adjournment of the sitting. Two bills passed by the House included the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Seed (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

The House took up a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding non-regularization of services of about 1237 teachers of FGEI, Cantt Garrison particularly F.G. Model Primary School, Lalazar, Rawalpindi Cantt, who have been serving on temporary basis since the last twenty years.

Another CAN on the agenda was not taken up by the House due to the absence of mover. The CAN was about the instructions being given by the Ministry of Water and Power to PESCO and other DISCOs to carry out seven-hour electricity load-shedding in industries during Ramazan.

PML-N lawmaker withdrew his adjournment motion regarding un-constitutional and illegal steps taken by the Election Commission of Pakistan for holding Local Government elections in Islamabad Capital Territory, as the Chair had already given ruling on it during the previous sitting.

The House witnessed presentation of periodical reports by ministers on matters referred by the House. These reports were related to the mounting of attack by a group of 150 armed men at the football house at Lahore on 12th April, directions of the AJK Government to the people belonging to FATA working in Kashmir to leave the area, non-provision of books to the special children of National Center for Handicapped Children, Sector G-8, Islamabad and proposed laying off of sixty thousand contract employees by the present government.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for two hours and 55 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1305 hours against the scheduled time of 1300 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
•  The Deputy Chairman was present for 50 minutes.
• The Leader of the House attended the entire sitting.
• The Opposition Leader attended the sitting for two hours and 45 minutes.
• The Prime Minister was not present.
• 17 Senators (16%) were present at the start and 38 (37%) at the end of the sitting.
• A maximum of 52 Senators (50%) attended the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, BNP-M, NP, PPPP, PML, PML-N, MQM, PML-F and JUI-F were present.
• Two minority members were present.
• Two members applied for leave.

Output

• The House passed the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Seed (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding non-regularization of services of about 1237 teachers of FGEI, Cantt Garrison particularly F.G. Model Primary School, Lalazar, Rawalpindi Cantt who have been serving on temporary basis since the last twenty years.
• Another CAN on the agenda was not taken up by the House due to the absence of mover. It was regarding the instructions being given by the Ministry of Water and Power to PESCO and other DISCOs to carry out seven-hour electricity load-shedding in industries during Ramazan.
• PML-N lawmaker withdrew his adjournment motion regarding un-constitutional and illegal steps taken by the Election Commission of Pakistan for holding Local Government elections in Islamabad Capital Territory, as the Chair had already given a ruling on it during the previous sitting.
• Ten out of 20 starred questions appearing on the agenda were taken up. Additionally, the legislators raised 27 supplementary questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers raised 33 points of order that consumed 63 minutes (36%) of the sitting time.

Transparency

• Orders of the Day was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.  

To download Session Report, click here

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This Session Report is based on direct observation of the Senate proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.