ISLAMABAD, September 25, 2014: The Sindh Assembly adopted two resolutions against the division of Sindh and the creation of new administrative units in Sindh during the first sitting of 14^th session, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The opposition legislators staged a 21-minute walkout over the scattered allotment of seats on the opposition benches. Earlier, they also staged a protest in the House for 35 minutes on the same issue.

The Speaker and the Leader of the House did not attend the sitting. Sixty-eight members (41%) were present at the outset, 47 (28%) at the adjournment, while a maximum of 75 lawmakers (45%) were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.

Following are some key observations of the House proceedings:

Members’ Participation in the House Proceedings

• The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 13 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1057 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours, witnessing a delay of 57 minutes.
• The Deputy Speaker chaired the entire sitting. The Speaker did not attend the sitting.
•  The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting while the Leader of the Opposition was present an hour and 50 minutes.
• The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PML-F and PML-N attended the sitting.
• Sixty-eight members (41%) were present at the outset, 47 (28%) at the adjournment, while a maximum of 75 lawmakers (45%) were observed to be present at one point during the sitting.
• Three minority members attended the sitting.
• Four members applied for leave.

 Output

• The Sindh Assembly adopted two identical resolutions against the division of Sindh and creation of new administrative units in Sindh. One of the resolutions was tabled by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs while the other by the Leader of the Opposition.
• The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs presented the Dow University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Ordinance 2014.
• The annual reports of the Council of Islamic Ideology for 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 were presented before the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

• The House did not take up four starred questions (requiring oral as well) due to the absence of prime movers submitting these questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• Two points of order were raised which consumed two minutes of the proceedings’ time.
• The opposition lawmakers staged a 21-minute walkout over the scattered allotment of seats on the opposition benches. Earlier, they also staged a protest in the House for 35 minutes on the same issue.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was available to observers and the public.

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The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Sindh Assembly proceedings conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), a member organization of FAFEN.