ISLAMABAD, February 18, 2014: The Sindh Assembly, on Tuesday, left most of its agenda unaddressed to debate an adjournment motion regarding budget deficit of the provincial government during 8th sitting of the ongoing 11th session, says Free and Fair Election Network in its Daily Factsheet based on direct observation of the proceedings.

The House admitted for discussion the adjournment motion submitted by a female lawmaker of MQM regarding budget deficit of the provincial government that has reached up to Rs 66 billion and its impact on the development schemes. The mover requested the Chair to hold the debate for a later sitting; but their plea was turned down on the pretext that the mover should have come to the House well prepared. The members belonging to MQM objected to it, but the Chair overruled their objections. Thirteen lawmakers, including the Chief Minister, debated the motion for one-and-a-half-hour.

The House did not take up three bills, five resolutions and five motions, all sponsored by private members.

A privilege motion of MQM lawmakers was deferred as a meeting of a parliamentary committee was yet to be held to consider the motion.

All five starred questions (requiring oral as well as written replies) on the agenda related to sports ministry were taken up and responded to by the provincial minister for parliamentary affairs. The legislators also asked 31 supplementary questions.

The Deputy Speaker presided over the sitting for 50 minutes while the rest of the proceedings were chaired by the Speaker.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 55 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1135 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and 35 minutes.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and five minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the proceedings for 50 minutes.
• The Chief Minister attended the House for one and a half hours while the Leader of the Opposition was absent.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PPPP, MQM and PML-F attended the sitting.
• Fifty-five members were present at the outset while 71 were there at the adjournment. A maximum of 80 members were observed to be present at a point during the sitting.
• Six minority members attended the sitting.
• Three members applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House admitted for discussion the adjournment motion submitted by a female lawmaker of MQM about the budget deficit of the provincial government that has reached up to Rs 66 billion and its impact on the development schemes. The mover requested the Chair to hold the debate on a later sitting, however, the Chair refused on the pretext that the mover should have come to the House well prepared. The members belonging to MQM objected to it, but the chair overruled their objections. Thirteen lawmakers, including the Chief Minister, debated the motion for one and a half hours.
• All five starred questions (requiring oral as well as written replies) on the agenda related to sports ministry were taken up and responded to by the provincial minister for parliamentary affairs. The legislators also asked 31 supplementary questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• Legislators spoke on eight points of order consuming nine minutes of the sitting.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was available to observers and the public.

The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN