Sindh Assembly Condemns Indian Aggression

ISLAMABAD, February 26, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh suspended the private members’ business on Tuesday and discussed the Indian violation of Pakistani airspace, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 22nd sitting of the fourth session:

Members’ Participation

  • The House met for three hours and 35 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1230 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
  • The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and three minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting.
  • The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting.
  • The Leader of the Opposition was present for two hours and 19 minutes.
  • As many as 79 lawmakers (47%) were present at outset and 86 lawmakers (51%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQMP, TLP, PTI and MMAP attended the sitting.
  • As many as six out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

  • The House unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Indian violation of Pakistani airspace. As many as 31 lawmakers debated the resolution for two hours and four minutes.
  • Moved by a PTI lawmaker, the House adopted a resolution calling for celebration of birthday of Hazrat Fatima (RA).
  • The House did not take up the Private Members’ agenda including two bills, five resolutions, as many motions and nine notices to amend the assembly rules.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • The Ministers for Population Welfare and Health responded to four out of six Starred Question while remaining two questions were not taken up. In addition, the lawmakers asked 23 supplementary questions.
  • A GDA lawmaker withdrew his Adjournment Motion regarding kidnapping of a businessman from Sukkur City. The Speaker also ruled the motion out of order.

Order and Institutionalization

  • The House was adjourned to meet again on February 27, 2019 (Wednesday) at 1400 hours.

Transparency

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
  • The attendance of 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.