The new Lower House of Parliament (national assembly), coming in place as a result of the Feb 18 general elections, would meet March 5 to elect a new prime minister, Law Minister Afzal Haider said. The national assembly would be completed by March 5 and the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry would send a summary to President Pervez Musharraf for calling its session. Haider told the reporters that it is expected that notification of the elected MPs would be made by March 3 by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and added that the ECP will then determine the share of parliamentary parties on reserved seats for women and minorities. This process will hopefully be completed by March 5. It will be a two days session wherein on first day the elected members will take oath of their office and on second day the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker would be held. The minister said the stage for the election of Prime Minister would come when the majority parties in the house will propose the name of their candidate. On receipt of the consensus name of for the slot of Prime Ministers, the law ministry will send another summary to the President for calling national assembly's session for the election of the premier, he said. After being elected the Prime Minister will take the oath of his office and the tenure of the present caretaker government will come to an end, Haider said. He said the newly elected Prime Minister is bound to take the vote of confidence from the national assembly within 60 days of his assuming the charge on the date of his choice. The prime minister after being elected and taking oath of his office will send the list of the cabinet ministers along with their portfolios to the President and the structure of government would be completed when the cabinet members take oath of their offices. Haider said that the text of the oath for the MPs, the speaker, the deputy speaker and the cabinet members is the same as envisaged in the 1973 constitution. It exists in schedule 3 of the article 65 and all the members will read it during the oath taking, he said.
