NA session to be called by 10th: Memon
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Nisar A. Memon Tuesday said that National Assembly would be called to meet before March 10 to elect Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
He was talking to a six-member Media Delegation from Egypt led by Dr. Hassan Ahmad Hassan Abou Taleb. The delegation is on a nine-day visit on the invitation of Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) as a part of Pakistan’s image building programme.
Nisar Memon told the delegation that election results point to moderate political views having been voted in by masses and that indicated victory of enlightened moderation propounded by President Musharraf.
He said the caretaker set-up had fulfilled its mandate of holding elections acceptable to all the stakeholders. He said Pakistan believed in peace and wanted resolution of all issues through negotiations. He said the government’s determination to fight all kinds of terrorism was undeterred and added that no foreign forces would be allowed to operate on the Pakistani soil. He said the impression of U.S. influencing Pakistani politics was a fallacy and had nothing to do with reality. The Information Minister said following the general polls, the major parties were busy in mutual consultation for forming the government.
He said after the election of the speaker and deputy speaker by the National Assembly, the majority party will nominate their Prime Minister. The minister said the parliament had three pillars which are the President, the Senate and the National Assembly. He explained to the delegation in detail the process of election of the president for which the Senate, the National Assembly and the Provincial Assemblies formed the Electoral College.
He told the delegation that the Election Commission of Pakistan had already notified the election results and the 60 reserved seats for women will be notified in a couple of days following submission of names for the seats by the political parties.
He said there were consecutive propaganda campaigns against Pakistan first about the safety of Pakistani nuclear assets and the second about Pakistan’s fight against terrorism. He said both had died out after they were responded properly by the caretaker government. About Kashmir issue, Memon said Pakistan wanted resolution of the problem peacefully through negotiations. Talking about Pakistan-Egypt relations, Memon said these are deeply rooted in history, culture, religion and common views on various international issues.
He said Egypt had successfully fought against terrorism which was challenging Pakistan presently. Egypt is a cradle of human civilisation.
Similarly, Pakistan is home to a 7,000 years old civilisation, he added. He said Pakistan has always raised its voice against all injustices inflicted on Arab people.