• Session Prorogued

ISLAMABAD, June 5, 2020: The 9^th session of Sindh Assembly was prorogued on Friday after two days debate on measures to tackle COVID-19, observes the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are the key observations of the House proceedings during third & last sitting of the ninth session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for ten hours and 16 minutes while the proceedings remained suspended for an hour and 57 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 1210 hours against the scheduled time of 1100 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for seven hours and eight minutes while Deputy Speaker chaired the remaining proceedings.
• The Leader of the House attended the proceedings for six hours and 29 minutes while the Opposition Leader was present for six hours and 58 minutes.
• As many as 43 MPAs (26%) were present at the outset and 38 (23%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MMAP, PTI, MQMP, TLP and GDA attended the proceedings.
• Six out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Twenty lawmakers participated in debate on a commenced adjournment motion for six hours and two minutes which was about impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and the possible measures to contain the further spread of coronavirus after easing of lockdown in the province. The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) concluded the discussion and spoke for an hour and 35 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• A lawmaker spoke on two points of Order for three minutes.
• The Opposition Leader walked out from House at 2148 hours against not convening the session requisitioned by the Opposition on May 20, 2020. He did not return to the House till adjournment of the sitting.
• The session was prorogued sine die.

Transparency

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

This Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted