Islamabad: Pakistan's newly-elected MPs were on Monday administered the oath at the maiden session of Parliament dominated by parties opposing President Pervez Musharraf who have vowed to clip his wings.
"This is the last day of dictatorship," Asif Ali Zardari, chairman of PPP which is set to lead a coalition government after crushing Musharraf's allies in the February 18 poll, told reporters at the tightly-guarded Parliament building.
A total of 328 MPs of the 342-member National Assembly were sworn in by outgoing Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, after which the House offered special prayers for slain former premier and Zardari's wife Benazir Bhutto who was killed in a suicide attack on a pre-poll rally in December.
Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, who did not contest the election, watched the proceedings from the gallery reserved for guests. The two leaders had signed an agreement to form a coalition government on March 9.
Musharraf, who was not required at the session, did not attend it. Pakistan People's Party members wore black bands and sported badges featuring a picture of Bhutto.
Shortly after the National Assembly or Lower House of Parliament assembled, PPP leader Naveed Qamar said the members of the winning parties would take oath under the Constitution, bereft of the amendments carried out by Musharraf after he imposed Emergency on November 3 last year.
Outgoing Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain made an exception and allowed Qamar to speak before the oath was administered. He said this was being done in line with the consensus decision made at his meeting on Sunday with leaders of all parliamentary parties.
"Today as we are about to take oath on the Constitution, we want to make it clear that we are taking oath according to the constitution of 1973... the members of the PPP, PML-N, Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and our allies will only take oath according to the constitution as it was on November 2, 2007," Qamar said.
As Qamar spoke, the members of the PPP and its allies thumped the desks. The Speaker said the oath for the MPs was part of the Constitution of 1973 and no changes had been made in it.
PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf later requested Hussain to let the House offer special prayers for Bhutto. "I want to remind this House that a great democratic leader who always struggled for democracy and opposed dictators Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for her ideals. This was the great leader who said democracy is the best revenge," Ashraf said.
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"I would request this House to remember that great leader whose struggle has enabled us to assemble here and usher in democracy in the country."
At the Speaker's request, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman led the prayers. The new House will elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker on Wednesday. Tuesday is the last day for filing nominations for the two posts.
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, the PPP (120 seats), PML-N (90 seats) and ANP (13) held a joint parliamentary party meeting to nominate their candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
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