Sindh Assembly leaves 89 percent agenda unaddressed

ISLAMABAD, February 15, 2022: The Sindh Assembly left 89 percent agenda unaddressed on private member’s day and adopted one resolution, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Tuesday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during third sitting of 26th session:

Members’ Participation

  • The House met for two hours and 50 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 15 minutes due to prayer break.
  • The sitting started at 10:45 am against the scheduled time of 10:00 am.
  • The speaker presided over the proceedings for two hours and 27 minutes while a member of panel of chairpersons chaired the remaining sitting.
  • The deputy speaker was not present.
  • The leader of the house (chief minister) did not attend the sitting.
  • The leader of the opposition attended the sitting for 53 minutes.
  • As many as 36 MPAs (21 percent) were present at the outset and 49 (29 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PTI, MQMP and MMAP attended the proceedings.
  • Seven out of nine minority lawmakers attended the proceedings.

 Output

  • Tabled by a GDA lawmaker, the House adopted a resolution recommending the federal government to end gas load-shedding in the province and decrease prices of petroleum products.
  • A lawmaker belonging to MQM introduced the Sindh Khatim-Un-Nabiyyin Tahafuz Bill, 2020 which was referred to the relevant committee.
  • The House did not consider 14 motions for introduction of as many bills, five private resolutions, two private members’ bills and as many private motions.

Representation and Responsiveness 

  • The House took up three out of six starred questions while lawmakers asked 16 supplementary questions as well.
  • The House did not consider an adjournment motion while a privilege motion was withdrawn by its mover.

Order and Institutionalization

  • Two lawmakers spoke on points of order for six minutes.
  • A lawmaker belonging to MMAP walked out from the House at 12:25 pm after protest against consideration of an out of turn resolution.
  • The House was adjourned to meet again on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 02:00 pm.

Transparency                                                             

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
  • The attendance of lawmakers was not available to the media and observers.

This Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted