12 August 2004	Thursday	25 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 11: President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday called the National Assembly to meet on Friday for a key session that is likely to, after the August 18 by-elections in Attock and Tharparkar, induct a new prime minister and say goodbye to transitional incumbent Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

In another move, Senate chairman Mohammedmian Soomro summoned an upper house session a week later on Aug 20 in response to an opposition requisition mainly to discuss the law and order situation in the country.

A notification issued by the National Assembly Secretariat said the president had summoned the lower house to meet at the Parliament House at 5.00pm on Aug 13.

Although there was no immediate information about its duration, parliamentary sources said the session was likely to continue beyond the Aug 18 by-election to two National Assembly seats that Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz is contesting to qualify for the office of prime minister for which the ruling coalition has named him.