ISLAMABAD, April 15, 2016: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh on Friday took up all agenda items appearing on `Orders of the Day’ during eighth sitting of its ongoing 24^th session, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Following are some key observations of the House proceeding:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Sindh Assembly met for three hours and 13 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1111 hours against its scheduled time of 1000 hours.
• The Speaker presided over the sitting for two hours and 51 minutes while the rest of the proceeding was chaired by a Member of Panel of Chairpersons.
• The Deputy Speaker was absent.
• The Chief Minister attended the sitting for 72 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition was absent.
• 26 (16%) lawmakers were present at outset and 57 (35%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-F, PML-N and PTI were present.
• Two minority members attended the sitting.
• Three members applied for leave.

Output

• Moved by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, the House referred the Assembly Appropriation Accounts Report of Sindh Forest Department to Public Accounts Committee.
• The Speaker announced the assent of Governor Sindh on five government bills including the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Bill, 2016; the Sindh Workers’ Compensation Bill, 2015; the Sindh Minimum Wages Bill, 2015; the Sindh Hindus Marriage Bill, 2016 and the Metropolitan University, Karachi Bill, 2015.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The government orally responded to five out of seven starred questions appearing on the agenda. The lawmakers also asked 29 supplementary questions.
• The government responded to five Calling Attention Notices (CANs) appearing on the agenda. These notices were about assaulting a girl in a Police Station of Mirpurkhas, a female patient losing her hands and feet due to negligence of doctor in Pangrio, Badin, deplorable condition of road from village Ghulamullah to Mirpur Sakro, manipulation of revenue records by Revenue Officers in Sukkur and ruined condition of Khirthar National Park.
• A Privilege Motion submitted by PTI lawmaker against misbehavior of Managing Director Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) with him was rejected. Three members spoke on it for 26 minutes.
• A PML-F lawmaker withdrew his Adjournment Motion regarding unavailability of furniture at a High School in Khairpur after assurance given to him by the government to address the issue. Two members spoke on it for 17 minutes.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers spoke on 14 points of order consuming 18 minutes of the proceeding.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers was available to observers and media.

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This 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.