ISLAMABAD, December 20, 2013: The Sindh Assembly gave approval to two ordinances amid protest by opposition parties during the first sitting of the 10^th session, says Free and Fair Election Network in its Daily Fact sheet based on direct observation.

The two ordinances, tabled by the Minister for Parliamentary affairs and passed by the House, include The Sindh Local Government (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 and The Sindh Local Government (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2013. Both these ordinances were issued earlier to make amendments in the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013.

The House witnessed uproar when a PML-N member was not allowed by the Speaker to table a resolution against the Local Government ordinances. Opposition parties of MQM, PML-N, PML-F and PTI staged a 25-minute walkout over the issue.

Two resolutions, tabled by PPPP members, were adopted by the House, relating to declaring December 27 as a public holiday every year on the death anniversary of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and paying tributes to Sufi saints of Sindh, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Shah Inayat

The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.

Leader of the Opposition attended the proceeding for an hour and 10 minutes while the Chief Minister was present for only 30 minutes.

The Parliamentary leader of PPPP, PML-N, PML-F and PTI were present

Fifty seven members were present at the outset while 78 were there at the adjournment. A maximum of 138 members were observed to be present at a point during sitting

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 13 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1525 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours, witnessing a delay of 25 minutes.
• The House took prayer break for three minutes.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
• The Leader of the Opposition attended the proceeding for an hour and 10 minutes while the Chief Minister was present for only 30 minutes.
• The Parliamentary leader of PPPP, PML-N, PML-F and PTI were present.
• Fifty seven members were present at the outset while 78 were there at the adjournment. A maximum of 138 members were observed to be present at a point during the sitting.
• Six minority members attended the sitting.
• Six members applied for leave. 

Output

• The House gave approval to two ordinances laid in the House by Parliamentary affairs minister. These include The Sindh Local Government (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 and The Sindh Local Government (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2013.
• Two resolutions tabled by PPPP members on declaring public holiday on 27 December every year on the death anniversary of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and to pay tributes to Sufi saints of Sindh, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Shah Inayat were adopted.

Representation and Responsivenes

• All of the four questions appearing on the agenda were taken up. Additionally, lawmakers asked 29 supplementary questions. The question was addressed to the Industries department.

Order and Institutionalization

• MPAs raised 8 points of order consuming twenty two minutes. 
• The opposition members of MQM, PML-N, PML-F and PTI staged a walkout when Speaker did not allow a PML-N member to move a resolution against LG ordinances

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was not 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