ISLAMABAD, June 20, 2020 The Sindh Assembly started general discussion on the provincial budget 2020-21, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in Daily Factsheet on Saturday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during third sitting of the 10^th session:

 Members’ Participation

• The House met for four hours and 35 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1315 hours against the scheduled time of 1200 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and 45 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the proceedings.
• The Leaders of the House did not attend the sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceedings for three hours and 10 minutes.
• As many as 29 MPAs (17%) were present at the outset and 46 (27%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, TLP GDA and MMAP attended the proceedings.
• As many as four out of nine minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Representation and Responsiveness

• A total of 16 lawmakers – PPPP (8), PTI (4), MQMP and GDA (two each) – participated in the budget debate for three hours and 35 minutes.
• Minister for Parliamentary Affairs laid six audit reports. The house referred all these reports to Public Account Committee.

 Order and Institutionalization

• The opposition lawmakers from MQM, PTI and GDA walked out from the House for five minutes against the absence of Chief Minister during budget speeches who is looking after all financial matters of the province.
• An MQM lawmaker protested for four minutes against the Chair’s attitude who did not allow him to move a resolution. Later, other MQM lawmakers joined him and they walked out from the House at 1654 till adjournment of the proceedings.
• The House was adjourned to meet again on June 22, 2020 (Monday) at 1200 hours.

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