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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| New parliament opens in Pakistan | New parliament opens in Pakistan |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Pakistan's new parliament has convened for the first time since President Pervez Musharraf and his allies suffered a heavy blow in elections. | Pakistan's new parliament has convened for the first time since President Pervez Musharraf and his allies suffered a heavy blow in elections. |
| Correspondents say the stage is set for a confrontation between President Musharraf and the government. | Correspondents say the stage is set for a confrontation between President Musharraf and the government. |
| The parties of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, have agreed a coalition. | The parties of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, have agreed a coalition. |
| More than 300 members of the National Assembly were sworn in. | |
| The 18 February polls delivered a huge blow to President Musharraf's parliamentary allies, making his position more precarious. | The 18 February polls delivered a huge blow to President Musharraf's parliamentary allies, making his position more precarious. |
| Asif Zardari, the widower of Benazir Bhutto is not eligible to run for PMThe Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of the late Ms Bhutto is expected to nominate a prime minister this week as it won the most seats in the election. | Asif Zardari, the widower of Benazir Bhutto is not eligible to run for PMThe Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of the late Ms Bhutto is expected to nominate a prime minister this week as it won the most seats in the election. |
| The chairman of Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has confirmed to the BBC that the prime minister has been chosen from the PPP, but he declined to say who it was. | The chairman of Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has confirmed to the BBC that the prime minister has been chosen from the PPP, but he declined to say who it was. |
| Ms Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, is not eligible to become prime minister, but wields considerable influence in the party. | Ms Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, is not eligible to become prime minister, but wields considerable influence in the party. |
| "This is the last day of dictatorship," he told reporters in the parliament building. | "This is the last day of dictatorship," he told reporters in the parliament building. |
| "This is our first step. We have conveyed a message to the world community to support democracy which defeats dictatorship." | "This is our first step. We have conveyed a message to the world community to support democracy which defeats dictatorship." |
| Members said prayers for Ms Bhutto during the session, which was held amid tight security. | |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett says the coalition agreement between the PPP and PML-N, once bitter rivals, depends on the restoration of Supreme Court judges who were sacked by the president during emergency rule in November. | The BBC's Barbara Plett says the coalition agreement between the PPP and PML-N, once bitter rivals, depends on the restoration of Supreme Court judges who were sacked by the president during emergency rule in November. |
| Correspondents say it is believed the judges were about to declare President Musharraf ineligible for a further term, and he has pledged to fight their reinstatement. | Correspondents say it is believed the judges were about to declare President Musharraf ineligible for a further term, and he has pledged to fight their reinstatement. |
| Mr Musharraf was re-elected as president by lawmakers in October, while he was still the army chief, in an election boycotted by the opposition as unconstitutional. | Mr Musharraf was re-elected as president by lawmakers in October, while he was still the army chief, in an election boycotted by the opposition as unconstitutional. |
| Main concern | Main concern |
| The PML-N has agreed to take up posts in the cabinet, as demanded by the PPP. | The PML-N has agreed to take up posts in the cabinet, as demanded by the PPP. |
| The coalition of the two parties and their smaller allies still lack the two-thirds majority required should they wish to impeach President Musharraf. | The coalition of the two parties and their smaller allies still lack the two-thirds majority required should they wish to impeach President Musharraf. |
| However, they command enough support to undermine his authority in parliament. | However, they command enough support to undermine his authority in parliament. |
| Coalition leaders have threatened to curtail the president's powers - such as his ability to dissolve the assemblies and dismiss the prime minister - though it is unclear how far they will go. | |
| The new government's most pressing concern is likely to be an Islamist insurgency that has claimed scores of lives in bomb attacks in the last few weeks. | The new government's most pressing concern is likely to be an Islamist insurgency that has claimed scores of lives in bomb attacks in the last few weeks. |
| Nuclear-armed Pakistan has been a key US ally in the "war on terror" and Washington hopes the new government will continue to work with it. | Nuclear-armed Pakistan has been a key US ally in the "war on terror" and Washington hopes the new government will continue to work with it. |