ISLAMABAD, April 8, 2014: The Sindh Assembly adopted two resolutions and adjourned the remaining business in honour of the street children football team who won bronze medal in Brazil and visited the House on Tuesday during 7th sitting of its 12^th session, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

Twenty-four lawmakers – 11 belonging to PPPP, eight to MQM, two each to PML-F and PTI and one to PML-N – extended their felicitations to the members of the football team on Private Members’ Day. The provincial ministers for information and youth development and a PTI lawmaker announced cash prizes for the team while the education minister announced free education for the players up till postgraduate level.

The House passed a resolution calling upon the government to equip the public hospitals with latest medical technology, necessary life saving drugs and fully equipped labs. Another resolution urged the government to resolve the problems faced by the residents of Sanghar due to low pressure of natural gas. The former resolution was sponsored by MQM legislator while the latter by PML-F lawmaker.

A PML-N lawmaker withdrew his privilege motion relating to the wrong statement given by the minister of fisheries on the floor of the House.

On behalf of the Chief Minister, the provincial minister for parliamentary affairs responded to four out of five starred questions (requiring oral as well as written replies). The lawmakers asked 27 supplementary questions as well.

The lawmakers also raised five points of order consuming eight 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 22 minutes, taking a three-minute break.
• The sitting started at 1138 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of an hour and 38 minutes.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting except for an hour and twenty minutes when the Deputy Speaker chaired the sitting.
• The Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were absent.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PTI, MQM and PML-F attended the sitting.
• Forty-three members were present at the outset while 52 at the adjournment. A maximum of 91 members were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.
• Six minority members attended the sitting.
• Three members applied for leave.
  

Output

• The House passed a resolution, sponsored by MQM legislator, calling upon the government to equip the public hospitals with latest medical technology, necessary life saving drugs and fully equipped labs.
• Another resolution urged the government to resolve the problems faced by the residents of Sanghar due to low pressure of natural gas. A PML-F lawmaker moved the resolution.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Twenty-four lawmakers – 11 belonging to PPPP, eight to MQM, two each to PML-F and PTI and one to PML-N – extended their felicitations to the members of the football team. The provincial ministers for information and youth development and a PTI lawmaker announced cash prizes for the team members while the education minister announced free education for the players up till postgraduate level.
•  On behalf of the Chief Minister, the provincial minister for parliamentary affairs responded to four out of five starred questions (requiring oral as well as written replies). The lawmakers asked 27 supplementary questions as well.
• A PML-N lawmaker withdrew his privilege motion regarding a wrong statement given by the provincial minister for fisheries on the floor of the House.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers also raised five points of order consuming eight minutes of the proceedings.
• There was no instance of walkout, protest or boycott.

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