ISLAMABAD: In a significant event celebrating Pakistan’s parliamentary history, a reunion of the 1985 National Assembly members was hosted by veteran politician Syed Fakhar Imam bringing together 22 surviving members from the original 237-member Assembly.

With many of the assembly’s former members having passed away, this gathering served both as a tribute to their legacy and a reminder of the enduring importance of democratic institutions above party interests or self-promotion, says a press release here on Tuesday.

Syed Fakhar Imam, who served as the National Assembly speaker in 1985, conducted the proceedings, allowing each participant to speak for five to 10 minutes to share reflections and memories as members of the parliament.

Some of the participants suggested formation of a “Council of Elders” as a permanent forum. They also suggested inclusion of resolutions passed by the 1985 assembly and speaker’s rulings in the curriculum, stating that the 1985 assembly had the credit to restore the constitutional rule in the country. There was a general consensus among the discussants that there had been deterioration in the working of the parliament with the passage of time.

Prominent among those who attended the gathering were Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Atiya Inayatullah and Syed Nusrat Ali Shah.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2025