National Assembly Session Within Seven Days: Memon
Says MNAs-elect to take oath under 1973 Constitution; Zardari not being sent abroad
KARACHI: Federal Minister for Information and Media Development, Nisar A Memon, has said the MNAs-elect would take oath under the 1973 Constitution and that the oath would be in accordance with the procedure defined in the Constitution.
Talking to reporters after presiding over a meeting of the board of governors of Dr Feroz Institute of Mass Communication, University of Karachi, on Saturday, the minister said when the leader of the House would be determined, then General Pervez Musharraf would take oath of office of the president first and the prime minister would later take oath of his office. “With this the five year term of President Musharraf would commence,” he added. This will be his second phase after the first one of three years.
Memon also made it clear that it was not fair to blame any of the political parties or the government for delay in the process of formation of the government at the Centre. “We hope that in the process of the formation of government the elected representatives would keep the interest of the nation above the party interests.” the minister said.
He said the session of the Nation Assembly would be convened within the seven-day period after which the sessions of the provincial assemblies would be convened. Memon said the previously announced Senate elections date of November 12 had now obviously been delayed because for that the existence of provincial assemblies was essential as those were the electoral college for the election.
He stated that it was not fair to blame any of the political parties for the delay because the process needed time. The minister said the government had convened the session of the National Assembly on November 8 but a couple of days before that two major parties – PML-QA and PPPP – requested for putting off the session because they said their process of dialogue was continuing. Consequently, he said, the government announced extension by a week in convening the session of the National Assembly.
The session would now be convened within the week’s extended time, he added. Memon stated that sufficient time had been provided and that it was also in the interest of the country that the process should be completed. The minister said the transfer of power was to be undertaken in accordance with the promise President Pervez Musharraf had made three years ago.
The information minister made it very clear that the government had made no deal with the PPP. He pointed out that Asif Ali Zardari was allowed to see his ailing mother in Karachi on humanitarian grounds. He pointed out that Zardari’s request was received at 5.20 pm on Friday. “Because his mother’s condition was critical, therefore, on humanitarian grounds the request was promptly processed in accordance with the law between the governments of the Punjab and Sindh and then Zardari was flown to Karachi.”
Memon said the Ziauddin Hospital, where Zardari was lodged, had been declared a sub-jail, which was in accordance with the law. “This was not a result of any deal but was on humanitarian grounds,” he added.
When a reporter drew his attention towards the rumours that Asif Zardari was being sent to London, the minister emphatically said there was nothing of the sort and that he was not being sent abroad.
Qazi added.