• Session prorogued

ISLAMABAD, November 26, 2021: The Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021 amid opposition’s protest on Friday, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during the seventh and last sitting of 24th session:

Members’ Participation

• The House met for two hours and 31 minutes; however, the proceedings remained suspended for 11 minutes due to prayer break.
• The sitting started at 03:35 pm against the scheduled time of 02:00 pm.
• The speaker did not attend the sitting.
• The deputy speaker presided over the entire proceedings.
• The leader of the House (chief minister) attended the sitting for an hour and 13 minutes.
• The leader of the opposition was present for an hour and 58 minutes.
• As many as 69 MPAs (41 percent) were present at the outset and 60 (36 percent) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PTI, GDA, MQMP and MMAP attended the proceedings.
• Eight out of nine minority lawmakers attended the proceedings.

 Output 

• Moved by the Minister for local government, the House passed the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• Parliamentary Secretary for health moved the Sindh Telemedicine and Telehealth Bill, 2021 which was also passed by the House. Earlier, Chairman Standing Committee on health presented report on this bill.

Representation and Responsiveness 

• The House took up two out of five starred questions while lawmakers asked 12 supplementary questions as well.
• The House took up three calling attention notices (CANs) regarding non-conduct of extra-curricular activities in educational institutions of the province, recent incident of suicide of Dr. Nausheen Shah from Chandka Medical College, Larkana and delay in Orange line project.
• A privilege motion of an MQMP lawmaker was termed `out of order’ which was regarding non-implementation on legislation passed by the assembly in letter and spirit.
• An adjournment motion about increasing poverty in the country was lapsed due to absence of relevant lawmaker.

Order and Institutionalization

• Lawmakers belonging to opposition protested during the proceedings for six minutes against consideration of the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Later, they walked out from the House at 05:44 pm and did not return till end of the sitting.
• The session was prorogued sine die.

Transparency                                                             

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers was not available to the media and observers.

This Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of the Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted