ISLAMABAD, March 04, 2015: The Sindh Assembly adopted three resolutions during the 19^th sitting of its ongoing 18^th session on Wednesday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The sitting started two hours and eight minutes behind the schedule with 86 members (51%) present at the start and 62 (37%) at the time of adjournment. The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting, while the Opposition Leader was present for two hours and three minutes.

The House adopted three resolutions, demanding the government to stop Malir Development Authority from allotting lands to business enterprises; paying tributes to Late Benazir Bhutto in connection with International Women Day and eulogizing services of the students for launching movement against one-unit in Hyderabad on March 4, 1967.

The House did not take up the Sindh Physiotherapy Council Bill, 2014; the Sindh Pharmacy Council Bill, 2014; the Sindh Nursing Council Bill, 2014 and the Post-Graduate College of Medical Sciences Sindh Bill, 2014 for reconsideration after receiving message from the Governor.

An elected PPPP lawmaker took oath of office.

Following are some key observations of the assembly business:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The Sindh Assembly met for four hours and 41 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1208 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker chaired the sitting for three hours and 37 minutes while Deputy Speaker presided over the proceedings for an hour and four minutes.
• The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting, while the Opposition Leader was present for two hours and three minutes.
• Eighty-six members (51%) were present at the start and 62 (37%) at the end of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-N and PML-F were present.
• Six minority members attended the sitting.
• None of the members applied for leave.

Output

• The House adopted three resolutions, demanding the government to stop Malir Development Authority from allotting lands to business enterprises; paying tributes to Late Benazir Bhutto in connection with International Women Day and eulogizing the services of students who launched movement against one-unit in Hyderabad on March 4, 1967.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Four out of six starred questions appearing on the agenda were taken up and responded to by the relevant department. In addition, the legislators raised 25 supplementary questions.
• The House took up five calling attention notices regarding insufficient deployment of traffic police in North Nazimabad Zone despite huge traffic flow; establishing trauma/first aid centers on Super Highway; number of patients suffering from aids, breast cancer and mouth cancer; illegal encroachments around Civil Hospital, Karachi and reasons behind failure of Clean and Peaceful Sindh Program.
• The House took up an adjournment motion tabled by an MQM lawmaker regarding the illegal appointments of 30 teachers and peons in Education Department, Hyderabad.

Order and Institutionalization

• Thirty-two points of order consumed 40 minutes of the sitting.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to members, observers and others.

To download the document, click here

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 The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.