ISLAMABAD, March 24, 2014: The Sindh Assembly carried a motion on Monday to discuss the issue of famine in Tharparkar during second sitting of 12^th session, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Two lawmakers of MQM submitted an adjournment motion to discuss the situation in Tharparkar; but the parliamentary affairs minister opposed it. However, the minister moved another motion to discuss the same on the next sitting.

The House also witnessed introduction of the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2014. The lawmakers also extended the deadline for presentation of the report of Special Committee probing the matter of the poor citizens belonging to Umerkot and Tharparkar being allegedly pressured for settling a firing incident out of court.

Sponsored by a PML-F lawmaker, the Assembly adopted a resolution paying tributes to the spiritual leader of Hurrs on his 71^st death anniversary.

The parliamentary affairs minister, on behalf of the Chief Minister, responded to all the four starred questions (requiring oral as well as written replies) directed to the Industries Department. The lawmakers asked 26 supplementary questions as well.

Furthermore, a privilege motion and a motion to elect standing committees were deferred.

The lawmakers also raised two points of order consuming three minutes of the proceedings.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 10 minutes taking a three-minute long break.
• The sitting started at 1125 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and 25 minutes.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting except for 45 minutes that was chaired by a member of panel of chairpersons. The Deputy Speaker was absent.
• The Chief Minister was present for 50 minutes while the Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for half an hour.
• The parliamentary leaders of PML-N, PPPP, PTI, PML-F and MQM attended the sitting.
• Sixty-nine members were present at the outset while 74 at the adjournment. A maximum of 85 members were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.
• Six minority members attended the sitting.
• Two members applied for leave.

Output

• The House witnessed introduction of the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2014.
• The lawmakers also extended deadline for presentation of the report of Special Committee probing the matter of the poor citizens belonging to Umerkot and Tharparkar being allegedly pressured for settling a firing incident out of court.

• The Speaker announced that the Governor of Sindh has given assent to nine bills namely the Sindh Emergency Procurement Bill, 2014, the Prevention of Defacement of Property Bill, 2013, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board Bill, 2014, the Sindh Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2013, the Registration (Sindh Amendment) Bill, 2013, the Sindh Healthcare Commission Bill, 2013, the Sindh Environmental Protection Bill, 2014, the Sindh Building Control (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and the Sindh Service Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

• Sponsored by a PML-F lawmaker, the Assembly adopted a resolution paying tributes to spiritual leader of Hurrs on his 71^st death anniversary.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Two lawmakers of MQM submitted an adjournment motion to discuss the situation in Tharparkar; but the parliamentary affairs minister opposed it. However, the minister moved another motion to discuss the same on the next sitting.
• The parliamentary affairs minister responded to all the four starred questions on the agenda (requiring oral as well as written replies) directed to the Industries Department. The lawmakers asked 26 supplementary questions as well.
• Furthermore, a privilege motion and a motion to elect standing committees were deferred.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers raised two points of order consuming three 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