March 15, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1429

ISLAMABAD, March 14: The newly elected National Assembly which holds its inaugural session on March 17 when 331 of its 342 members will be sworn in, will elect its speaker and deputy speaker on March 19.

Nomination papers for the posts will be received on March 18.

Sources at the National Assembly secretariat said that passes had also been issued to leaders of various political parties, including PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and president Shahbaz Sharif and Supreme Court Bar Association’s president Aitzaz Ahsan.

Partners in the new ruling coalition, the Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F, will hold the first meeting of their joint parliamentary on Monday before the start of the NA session.

Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif will jointly preside over the meeting. They will be accompanied by ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

PPP parliamentary secretary Izhar Amrohi told Dawn that although 10 MNAs-elect from Fata had announced their support for the coalition government, they had not been invited to the meeting.

He said the ascertainment of the new leader of the house (prime minister) was likely to take place on March 21, with two days for the filing and withdrawal of nomination papers.

According to the latest position of parties in the coalition after the election for seats reserved for women and minorities, the PPP has 120 seats, PML-N 90, ANP 13 and JUI-F 6, besides 10 Fata members.