NA takes oath eyeing grave challenges
Ruling coalition anoints Fahmida, Faisal as Speaker, Dy Speaker
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—The inaugural session of the 13th National Assembly was held 27 days after the February 18 general elections.In 1972 the National Assembly session was called almost 16 months after the 1970 general polls due to a political crisis. The inaugural session of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan was held on August 10, 1947 under the chairmanship of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Sindh Assembly building.
The second Constituent Assembly was elected on May 28, 1955 and dismissed on October 7, 1958 while third Constituent Assembly was elected on June 8, 1962. The first National Assembly election was held on December 5, 1970 but political turmoil after the polls led to the separation of the country’s eastern wing. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto conducted general polls on March 7, 1977 but amid a protest movement over rigging allegations by the opposition parties, martial law was imposed in the country.
First session of second National Assembly was held on March 20, 1985, 23 days after the elections. President General Muhammad Ziaul Haq dissolved the assembly on May 29, 1988. General elections were held on November 16, 1988 and first session of the Assembly was called on 30th of November. Then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed the Assembly on August 6, 1990.
The country went to polls on October 24, 1990 and newly elected members took oath on November 23. Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved the Assembly on April 18, 1993. Th Supreme Court restored the assembly on May 26, 1993 but it was again dissolved on July 18, 1993. Following new elections on October 6, 1993 the first session of the Assembly was held on October 15, 1993. Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari dismissed the Assembly on November 5, 1996.
On February 3, 1997 general elections were held and first session of the National Assembly was called on February 15 but the government was toppled in a coup on October 12, 1999. The first session of the National Assembly elected in 2002 Elections was held on November 16, 2002. That was the first National Assembly, which completed its five-year constitutional term in the political history of Pakistan.
Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) has decided to nominate Dr Fahmida Mirza as candidate for slot of Speaker of the National Assembly while Faisal Kareem Kundi would be candidate for deputy speakership, party sources said Monday. “Our Parliamentary party has endorsed co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s decision to nominate Fahmida Mirza as candidate for the speakership,” sources said.
Dr Fahmida comes from a political family of Sindh. She is wife of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, who is a close aide of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. She had won February 18 general polls from coastal district of Badin after defeating Bibi Yamin Shah. The PPP sources said that Dr Fahmida’s nomination would be announced by party co-chairman himself. Meanwhile, when contacted Fahmida Mirza declined to give comment on her nomination.