Pakistan Provinces: Assemblies summoned

The Governors of the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan on Saturday summoned the inaugural sessions of the new provincial assemblies for early next month.

The legislature of NWFP will meet on April 2, the Sindh Assembly on April 5, the Balochistan Assembly on April 7 and the legislature of Punjab on April 9.

The provincial lawmakers elected in the general elections in February would take oath at the first sessions of the assemblies.

The National Assembly held its inaugural session on March 17 and it is due to elect a prime minister on March 24, paving the way for transfer of power to a coalition government to be led by the Pakistan Peoples Party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.