ISLAMABAD, November 14, 2018: The Senate addressed most of its scheduled business on Wednesday amidst opposition’s walkout against remarks of Minister for Information, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings of the third sitting of 284^th session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for two hours and 25 minutes.
• The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1430 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman was not present.
• The Leader of the House attended the entire sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for an hour and 13 minutes.
• The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PPPP, PML-F, ANP, BNP-M, PTI and PkMAP attended the proceedings.
• As many as 15 senators (14% of the total membership) were present at the outset and 11 (10%) at the end of the sitting.
• As many as two out of four minority senators attended the sitting.

Output

• On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Aviation, a member of the Committee presented a report on a point of public importance regarding problems in PIA’s flight-booking procedure due to software changes.
• Chairman Standing Committee on Petroleum presented four reports on points of public importance regarding low gas pressure in district Charsadda, four-times billing of gas consumption, accidental compensation to coal mine workers in Balochistan and implementation of six percent employment quota for Balochistan in Gas Companies.
• Moved by the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, the House referred the Federal Public Service Commission (Validation of Rules) Ordinance, 2018 to the relevant standing committee.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• The House granted a sixty-day extension to the Standing Committee on Defence for presentation of its report on the issue relating to reinstatement of four persons belonging to Balochistan in Survey of Pakistan.
• The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs made a statement on a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding slow pace of work on Quetta Airport. The House dropped another notice due to absence of its mover.
• The House took up 12 out of 32 starred questions while lawmakers asked 36 supplementary questions as well. The remaining 20 questions were not taken up.
• As many as four lawmakers raised points of public importance consuming 15 minutes of the proceedings.
• The House deferred the discussion on a motion of thanks to the President for his address to Parliament till next sitting.

Order and Institutionalization 

• A JUI-F lawmakers pointed out the lack of quorum at 1440 hours which was completed after ringing of bells for five minutes.
• As many as four lawmakers raised points of order consuming five minutes.
• Minister for Information and Broadcasting spoke on a point of personal explanation consuming 14 minutes.

• The opposition lawmakers walked out from proceedings at 1628 hours against the remarks of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Division on their leadership. They did not return to the House till its adjournment.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on November 15, 2018 at 1030 hours.

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