Sindh amends law to hold Pakistan's first online assembly session

KARACHI: Sindh Assembly on Monday amend its rule on holding online sessions amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, ARY News reported.

With the new rules, the Sindh Assembly has become the first assembly in Pakistan to hold online sessions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The provincial assembly is set to hold its first online Budget 2020-21 session on Wednesday. The virus infected lawmakers would be able to attend the Budget session for the fiscal year 2020-21 online.

Moreover, the MPAs would be able to participate in the PA proceedings while sitting at their homes, while Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durani can call online sessions at any time he wants.

Earlier in the day, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said the province will amend its rules on holding online assembly sessions “in case of emergency”.

“Sindh Assembly would be amending its rules today to add a provision allowing for the speaker to hold virtual sessions of the Assembly in case of emergency or when it is impracticable.” Wahab said in a post on Twitter.

#Sindh Assembly would be amending its Rules today to add a provision allowing for the Speaker to hold online sessions of the Assembly incase of emergency or when it is impracticable. Thus Sindh will become the 1st Assembly in Pakistan to use technology for its sessions

— SenatorMurtaza Wahab (@murtazawahab1) June 15, 2020

He further said that Sindh will become the first assembly in Pakistan to make use of technology for its sessions.

Last month, Minister for Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry had proposed holding a virtual meeting of the Parliament amid the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

In his tweet, Fawad Chaudhry said that opposition was harming themselves and masses by opposing the virtual session of the parliament in this situation of the pandemic.