Sindh Assembly Passes Accountability Bill Amidst Opposition’s Walkout

ISLAMABAD, July 26, 2017: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh passed the Sindh Accountability Bill, 2017 with majority vote, while the opposition staged a walkout against the passage of the bill, on Wednesday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during third sitting of the 35th session:

Members’ Participation

  • The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 21 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1131 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
  • The Deputy Speaker presided over the sitting as the Speaker was not present.
  • The Leader of the House (Chief Minister) attended the sitting for 59 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was not present.
  • Seventeen (10%) lawmakers were present at the outset and 58 (35%) at the adjournment of sitting.
  • The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM and PML-F attended the sitting.
  • Six minority members were also present.
  • Seven members applied for leave.

Output

  • Senior Minister presented the report of the Standing Committee on Services, General Administration and Coordination on the Sindh Accountability Bill, 2017.
  • The House passed the Sindh Accountability Bill, 2017 with majority vote. Five lawmakers spoke on the bill for 47 minutes.
  • Senior Minister laid the Annual Report of the Sindh Revenue Board for the year 2015-16 before the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • The House took up four out of 11 starred questions during the proceedings. The lawmakers asked 27 supplementary questions as well.
  • The House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) on the dilapidated condition of roads in District Sanghar as well as the road from Sanghar to Mirpurkhas. The remaining three CANs were deferred.

Order and Institutionalization

  • The lawmakers did not raise any Point of Order.
  • The opposition lawmakers staged a walkout at 1339 hours against the passage of the Sindh Accountability Bill, 2017. They did not return to the House.

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 Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation, a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.