ISLAMABAD, February 28, 2014: The Sindh Assembly passed two government bills on Friday during the twelfth sitting of ongoing 11^th session, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The House approved the Sindh Service Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and the Sindh Civil Servants (Regularization of Adhoc Appointments) (Amendment) Bill, 2014. The opposition parties resisted the passage of second bill on retrospective basis from 1994 proposing an amendment for implementing it from the time of its approval. However, the amendment was rejected and the bill sailed through the House after 19-minute debate.

A privilege motion of a minority lawmaker against the alleged misbehavior of a government official was taken up but the Chair asked the mover to put it on hold till the formation of the standing committees.

The House took up four call attention notices (CANs) – three sponsored by MQM lawmakers and one by a PTI female legislator – regarding provision of diluted blood at blood banks, establishment of a medical college in Hyderabad, shifting of the office of Director Schools and installation of massive billboards at public places.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs responded to four starred questions (requiring oral as well as written reply) directed to the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Department. Additionally, the members asked 29 supplementary questions.

The members also spoke on nine points of order consuming 33 minutes of the proceedings.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 5 minutes taking a three-minute break.
• The sitting started at 1120 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and twenty minutes.
• The Deputy Speaker presided over the entire sitting as the Speaker was absent.
• The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition was present for 20 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PPPP, PTI and MQM attended the sitting.
• Thirty-five members were present at the outset while 53 at the adjournment. A maximum of 93 members were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.
• Four minority members attended the sitting.
• One member applied for leave.

 Output

• The House approved the Sindh Service Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and the Sindh Civil Servants (Regularization of Adhoc Appointments) (Amendment) Bill, 2014.
• The opposition parties resisted the passage of second bill on retrospective basis from 1994 proposing an amendment for implementing it from the time of its approval. However, the amendment was rejected and the bill sailed through the House after 19-minute debate.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House took up four call attention notices (CANs) – three sponsored by MQM lawmakers and one by a PTI female legislator – regarding provision of diluted blood at blood banks, establishment of a medical college in Hyderabad, shifting of the office of Director Schools and installation of massive billboards at public places.
• The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs responded to four starred questions (requiring oral as well as written reply) directed to the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Department. Additionally, the members asked 29 supplementary questions.
• A privilege motion of a minority lawmaker against the alleged misbehavior of a government official was taken up but the Chair asked the mover to put it on hold till the formation of the standing committees.

Order and Institutionalization

• The members also spoke on nine points of order consuming 33 minutes of the proceedings.

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