Pak National Assembly to demand UN probe into Benazir's assassination on Thursday

Pakistan's National Assembly is set to pass a resolution on Thursday recommending that the United Nations (UN) conduct an investigation into former premier Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

President Pervez Musharraf has summoned the session on Thursday, which is likely to continue for at least a fortnight.

"Besides the resolution demanding a probe into Benazir Bhutto's assassination through a UN Commission, we will also try to pass another resolution seeking an apology over the judicial murder of the party's founding chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on behalf of the parliament," the Daily Times quoted Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chief Whip Khursheed Shah, as saying.

He also said parliamentary committees would chalk out a draft package for the restoration of the deposed judges, including sacked Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

"It is premature to say whether the restoration of the judges will be made during the forthcoming session or we have to call another session for this particular purpose at the end of April. One thing is for sure that all the coalition partners are committed to the cause of the restoration of judges," he said.

Repealing FCR: Parliamentary committees will also work on the repeal of the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) during the session, Shah added.

He said that, as this is the first working session of the newly elected National Assembly, there will be general discussions on pressing issues, such as the water and power crises, spiralling inflation, the re-publication of blasphemous caricatures in Danish newspapers, and the law and order situation.

"Some privilege motions and adjournment motions submitted by the MNAs, besides the Arbab Ghulam Rahim episode, will also come under discussion during the session," he added.

Shah said the National Assembly would work on forming parliamentary committees and electing their chairmen.