Senate Transacts Entire Agenda, Discusses Supplementary Budget

ISLAMABAD, September 25, 2018: The Senate on Tuesday transacted the entire business and discussed the Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Bill 2018, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings of fourth sitting of 282nd session:

Members’ Participation

  • The Senate met for three hours and 55 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for 14 minutes due to a prayer break.
  • The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
  • The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
  • The Deputy Chairman was not present.
  • The Leader of the House attended the sitting for three hours and 28 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was present for three hours and five minutes.
  • Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, NP, JI, BNP-M, PTI and PML-N attended the sitting.
  • Nine members (8% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and eight (7%) at the end of sitting.
  • Two minority Senators also attended the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • As many as five lawmakers took part in the debate on the Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Bill, 2018, consuming 41 minutes of the proceedings.
  • The House considered and adopted two reports following motions under Rule 196 (1). The first report about circular debt was debated by seven lawmakers for 50 minutes while nine lawmakers discussed the report on the General Elections 2018 for an hour and two minutes. ·The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs) related to the charging of fees by the private schools in Islamabad Capital Territory during the summer vacations and poor quality of construction of the building structure of new Islamabad International Airport. Both CANs were responded to by the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs.
  • Minister of State for Interior made a statement on a matter of public importance regarding the registration of false FIR against one Hafeez Buzdar Baloch, who contested the General Election 2018 against the Chief Minister Punjab.
  • Six lawmakers spoke on seven matters of public importance for 22 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization 

  • The House was adjourned to meet again on September 26, 2018 (Wednesday) at 1500 hours.

 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 proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted