ISLAMABAD, April 10, 2015: The Sindh Assembly unanimously passed five government bills amid low attendance of lawmakers on Friday, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The sitting started 52 minutes behind the schedule with 34 members (20%) present at the start and 36 (21%) at the time of adjournment. The Leader of the House and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.

The House passed the Sindh Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Sindh Coastal Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Sindh Finance (Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Sindh Sound System (Regulation) Bill 2015.

Two other bills – the AO Postgraduate Institute of Orthopedic Sciences Bill 2015 and the Peoples University Medical and Health Sciences for Women Shaheed Benazirabad (Amendment) Bill 2015 – were also introduced during the sitting. The Sindh Information of Temporary Residents Bill 2015 was deferred on the mover’s request.

The House took up three calling attention notices (CANs) which were responded by the relevant minister. Two other CANs appearing on the Orders of the Day were not taken up.

Following are some key observations of the assembly business:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 20 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1052 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and 15 minutes.
• The remaining time was chaired by the Deputy Speaker.
• The Chief Minister and the Opposition Leader did not attend the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PTI, PML-N and PML-F were present.
• 34 members (20%) were present at the start and 36 (21%) at the end of the sitting.
• A maximum of 62 members (37%) attended the sitting.
• Three minority members were present.
• None of the members applied for leave.

Output

• The Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Sindh Coastal Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Sindh Finance (Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Sindh Sound System (Regulation) Bill 2015.
• The AO Postgraduate Institute of Orthopedic Sciences Bill 2015 and the Peoples University Medical and Health Sciences for Women Shaheed Benazirabad (Amendment) Bill 2015 were introduced during the sitting.
• The Sindh Information of Temporary Residents Bill 2015 was deferred on the mover’s request.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Four out of seven questions were taken up and responded by the relevant departments. In addition, the legislators raised 24 supplementary questions.
• The House did not take up an adjournment motion regarding non-payment of salaries to the employees of the police department.

Order and Institutionalization

• The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs withdrew a privilege motion during the sitting.
• PML-F members held a two-minute protest against the Prisons Minister’s statement regarding their party chief.
• Two PML-N members from Thatta also staged a minute-long protest against the Speaker for refusing a point of order.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the members, observers and the public.
• Information on members’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.

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The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted.