Parliamentary Year Report 2020-21(1).Pdf
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1 TABLE OF CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN ......................................................................................... 4 SENATE SESSIONS ....................................................................................................................... 5 LEGISLATION AT A GLANCE ................................................................................................... 6 LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS ................................................................................................ 6 Ordinances laid before the Senate during PY 2020-21 ..................................... 6 Government Bills received from the N.A during PY 2020-21 .......................... 7 Money Bills received from the N.A during PY 2020-21 ...................................... 7 Government Bills Passed by the Senate during PY 2020-21 ........................... 8 Private Members‟ Bills introduced in the Senate during PY 2020-21 ........... 9 Private Members‟ Bills passed by the Senate during PY 2020-21 ............... 13 Private Members‟ Bills referred for Joint Sitting ................................................. 14 Private Members‟ Bills received from the National Assembly ....................... 14 LAYING OF CONSTITUTIONAL / STATUTORY REPORTS ..................................... 15 Statutory reports laid by the Executive on the Table .......................................... 15 PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS ............................................................................................ 16 Starred Questions .............................................................................................................. 16 Un-Starred Questions ....................................................................................................... 16 RESOLUTIONS .............................................................................................................................. 17 Resolutions passed by the Senate during PY 2020-21 ........................................ 17 MOTIONS UNDER RULE 218 ................................................................................................. 24 Subject Matters of Motions U/R 218 discussed during PY 2020-21 ............... 24 ADJOURNMENT MOTIONS ..................................................................................................... 25 CALLING ATTENTION NOTICES ......................................................................................... 25 CANs responded by the Ministers concerned in the house ................................ 25 PRIVILEGE MOTIONS ............................................................................................................... 27 POINTS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE RAISED DURING ZERO HOUR .................. 28 Matters referred to the Committees for consideration and report .................. 28 Matters referred to the Ministries/Divisions for report ........................................ 31 Matters disposed of in the House ................................................................................. 33 AN OVERVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE OF SENATE COMMITTEES ................ 42 SoPs devised for Committee meetings in view of Pandemic ............................. 42 Success Stories of Senate Committees ..................................................................... 43 2 An Overview of Business referred to the Committees ......................................... 45 Record of meetings held .................................................................................................. 46 Issues of Public Importance taken up by the Committees ................................ 49 Special Committees constituted by the Senate ...................................................... 59 INTER PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS (IPR) ............................................................... 61 RESEARCH SERVICES ............................................................................................................... 71 LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING UNIT (LDU) ............................................................................ 72 SENATE LIBRARY ........................................................................................................................ 78 PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNIT (PMU) ............................................................................. 79 ADMINISTRATION BRANCH ................................................................................................. 82 Replacement of Carpet ..................................................................................................... 82 Special measures under Covid-19 ............................................................................... 82 Renovation in Chairman office ...................................................................................... 82 Renovation of Deputy Chairman‟s Office. ................................................................. 82 Renovation / Maintenance at Block-C. ....................................................................... 82 Security Measures .............................................................................................................. 82 Groups/Universities/Schools/Organizations visited Parliament House. ........ 82 3 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN The Parliamentary Year 2020 – 2021 was a year full of unprecedented challenges in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The circumstances greatly affected our personal and work lives, and sadly also took away a few of our Honourable Members and hardworking employees. They will forever be remembered in our hearts as martyrs and as heroes. At the end of the third year of my term as Chairman Senate of Pakistan, I am pleased to note that despite the great losses and severe limitations on the Parliament‟s working due to COVID-19, the Senate still performed its representative, legislative and oversight duties commendably. These achievements of the Parliamentary Year 2020 – 2021 are particularly special because the Senate was functioning intermittently, with its officers often working from home during the high positivity spurts throughout the year. Due to the special Parliamentary focus on containing the COVID-19 pandemic, legislative activities during PY 2020 – 2021 relatively declined compared to the previous year. However, I am pleased to note that 13 Private Members‟ Bills, and 8 Government Bills were passed by the Senate, along with the laying of 8 Ordinances. The Senate passed 31 Resolutions in PY 2020 – 2021, compared to the 45 Resolutions passed in the previous parliamentary year. The numbers of matters discussed through Motions under Rule 218 also came down from 27 to 15 during the year. Many Points of Public Importance were also raised during the Zero Hour. With limited parliamentary gatherings throughout the year, a total of 260 meetings of Senate Committees were held during PY 2020 – 21, compared to 386 in the previous year. Regardless, the Committees disposed important legislative business, and exercised oversight on the Executive with due diligence and with positive outcomes leading towards public relief. With strict travel restrictions across the globe, the Senate represented Pakistan in the many international virtual conferences and various virtual parliamentary events held in the PY 2020 – 2021. The delegations represented the Senate on pressing issues such as COVID-19 prevention, control and vaccinations; gender equality; trade; climate change; economics; human rights; health; education; and global preparedness against future challenges such as COVID-19. On the Secretariat front, real-time decisions on the administrative side were constantly taken to ensure first and foremost, the safety of the Senate Secretariat employees and their families. In this respect, the Senate Secretariat was closed a few times during the year, owing to the rising positivity rates. During this time, the employees worked remotely from the safety of their own homes, with very limited attendance on rotation basis. Strict SOPs were also enforced with placement of sanitisers all around the Parliament building, and allowing only for essential movement. With the Senate‟s term for half its Members coming to an end, I wish the honourable retiring Senators the best of luck with their future endeavours. At the same time, I extend a warm welcome to the new electees for their upcoming term. I also take great pride in the confidence invested in my office, and I thank you for taking interest and learning more about the Senate of Pakistan. Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani Chairman Senate 4 SENATE SESSIONS Total Senate Sessions: 11 Joint Sittings 3 Number of working days 110 Number of actual sittings 60 Number of Private Members’ days 10 Maximum attendance 87 on 15-09-2020 during 303rd Session Minimum attendance 43 on 16-06-2020 during 299th Session Average attendance 64 per session Percentage of attendance 62 % Total hours of sittings 183 hours 45 minute Maximum hours of sitting 06 hours and 33 minutes on 14-05-2020 Minimum hours of sitting 50 minutes on 12-06-2020 Average hours per sitting 03 hours and 01 minutes Summary of summoning, prorogation, actual sittings and working days during PY 2020-21. Sl. Session Summoned Prorogued Actual Working Remarks No Number On On Sittings Days 1. 298th 12-05-2020 14-05-2020 02 03 Requisitioned 2. 299th 05-06-2020 24-06-2020 09 20 Regular 3. 300th 13-07-2020 30-07-2020 09 18 Regular 4. 301st 05-08-2020 05-08-2020 01 01 Regular 5. Joint Sitting 06-08-2020 06-08-2020 01 01 Joint Sitting