Sindh Assembly Discusses Measures to Prevent Coronavirus Spread

ISLAMABAD, June 4, 2020: The Sindh Assembly discussed the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible measures to contain the further spread of coronavirus after easing of lockdown in the province, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Thursday.

Following are the key observations of the House proceedings during the second sitting of the ninth session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for five hours and 25 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1600 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for four hours and 30 minutes while Deputy Speaker chaired the remaining proceedings.
• The Leader of the House attended the proceedings for three hours and 50 minutes while the Opposition Leader was present for four hours and 35 minutes.
• As many as 46 MPAs (27%) were present at the outset and 37 (22%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MMAP, PTI, MQMP, TLP and GDA attended the proceedings.
• Four out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

• Minister for Parliamentary Affairs laid three Ordinances in the House including the Sindh COVID-19 Emergency Relief Ordinance, 2020; the Sindh Shops and Commercial Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 and the Sindh Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. These Ordinances were presented in the House as supplementary agenda.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Tabled by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, twenty-one lawmakers discussed a motion for four hours and 43 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.

Order and Institutionalization

• A GDA lawmaker protested for five minutes during the speech of Minister for Health and demanded her to deliver speech in Urdu instead of English language.
• The entire opposition protested for three minutes against non-availability of supplementary agenda to them.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on June 5, 2020 (Friday) at 1100 hours.

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

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