ISLAMABAD, December 23, 2015: The Senate adopted four supplementary resolutions besides taking up its entire agenda during eighth sitting of its ongoing 122^nd session on Wednesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Some key observations are as follows:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Senate met for two hours and 58 minutes.
• The sitting started at its scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Chairman was not present.
• Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting.
• The Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
• 3 (3%) senators were present at the start and 22 (22%) at the time of adjournment.
• Parliamentary leaders of MQM, PPPP, PML-N, BNP-M, ANP and PTI were present.
• Two minority members were present.
• Two members applied for leave.

Output

• The Chairman Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges presented report of the committee on a privilege motion moved by a PML-N female senator.
• On behalf of the Finance Minister, the Minister for Climate Change presented the Annual Report of State Bank of Pakistan for 2014-2015 and the Special Audit Report on clearance of circular debt of power sector.
• The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs laid before the House the Annual Report of the National Economic Council for the Financial Year 2013-14.
• The House unanimously passed the Federal Judicial Academy (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and also referred three bills to the relevant committee namely the Publication of Laws of Pakistan Bill, 2015, the Pakistan Halal Authority Bill, 2015 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
• Moved by the Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, the House adopted a motion to consider the Gas (Theft Control and Recovery) Bill, 2014 in a joint sitting of the Parliament.
• In connection with the 15^th death anniversary of Madam Noor Jahan, the House passed a resolution paying tribute to her services. The resolution was moved by a senator belonging to PML.
• The House also passed a resolution paying tribute to Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) on the eve of his birthday in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal.
• Moved by a PPPP senator, the House also adopted a resolution paying tribute to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
• The House adopted a resolution on the upcoming birthday of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and wishing Christian community a very Happy Christmas.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up all 15 starred questions appearing on the agenda. However, only five of these could orally be replied to on floor of the House as movers of ten questions were absent. Additionally, the members asked 11 supplementary questions.
• The House admitted for discussion an adjournment motion regarding the mini budget envisaging additional taxes of Rs. 40 billion.
• The Minister for Commerce made a statement under Rule 265 of the Senate Rules of Procedure. His statement related to the performance of his ministry.
• The House debated an adjournment motion regarding the statement of former CIA official Edward Joseph Snowden that GCHQ, a secret agency of Britain, used to spy on the communication data of Pakistan. Four lawmakers discussed the motion while the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs responded to the lawmakers on this issue.
• The House also took up two Calling Attention Notices regarding outbreak of dengue in Karachi and Rawalpindi and the planned population census in 2016.
• The members spoke on 36 points of public importance during zero hour consuming 103 minutes of the proceeding.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers belonging to PPPP and ANP staged a token walkout for three minutes against the decision of federal government for extending special powers to Rangers in Karachi.
• The Senate Chairman made an announcement regarding the privilege breach of a senator belonging to PTI by army officials in Nowshera.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.

To download the factsheet, click here

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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