Govt gives policy statement on new role of former Army Chief

ISLAMABAD, January 11, 2017: The Senate transacted the entire business on Wednesday, while the government gave policy statement on the issue of new role of former Army Chief, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The entire opposition staged a walkout for five minutes against silence of the government over dilapidated condition of Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar. The Senate Chairman constituted a committee, comprising all Senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to visit the airport and submit its recommendations to the House.

Some key observations of the 3^rd sitting of Senate’s 258^th session are as follows:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for two hours and 57 minutes.
• The sitting started two minutes behind the scheduled time of 1430 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the sitting for an hour and 44 minutes while the rest of proceedings were chaired by the Deputy Chairman.
• The Leader of the House attended the sitting for two hours and 44 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition remained present for an hour and 20 minutes.
• Prime Minister did not attend the sitting.
• Parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, BNP-M, MQM, PPPP, ANP, NP, JUI-F and PML-F attended the proceedings.
• Thirteen members (12% of the total membership -104) were present at the outset and 21 (20%) at the end of sitting.
• One minority lawmaker attended the sitting.

Output

• Chairman, Standing Committee on Finance presented report on the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Bill, 2016.
• Minister for Parliamentary Affairs presented the Annual Report of the National Economic Council for the Financial Year 2014-15.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Following a motion under Rule 194(1), the House gave extension of 14 days to present report on the Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Bill, 2016.
• Eleven lawmakers, including Minister for Industries and Production, discussed a motion under Rule 60 for 27 minutes. The motion was regarding the tests conducted by NTS for appointments against various posts in Utility Stores Corporation, advertised in 2015 and 2016.
• The House took up two Calling Attention Notices (CANs). The first CAN was about low pressure of gas in various areas of district Qallat, Balochistan, while the other notice was regarding the dilapidated condition of Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar.
• Fifteen out of 29 Starred Questions appearing on the agenda were taken up. In addition, lawmakers asked 25 Supplementary Questions.
• Two Adjournment Motions (AMs) were rejected for being in contravention with the rules while one AM was dropped due to absence of the mover.
• Minister for Defense gave a policy statement for five minutes and Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs for one minute about the appointment of former Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif as chief of Islamic military alliance.

Order and Institutionalization

• The House discussed nine Points of Public Importance for 21 minutes while two minutes were consumed on one Point of Order.

• The entire opposition staged a walkout for five minutes against the silence of government over dilapidated condition of Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar.

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