Group photo of the National Assembly of Pakistan upon completion of their five year term. PHOTO: APP/FILE
"The session that started on February 18, 2008 has prorogued on completion of its business," said Yasmeen Rehman, lawmaker for the main ruling Pakistan People's Party, reading out a letter from President Asif Ali Zardari.
She wished those present the best of luck before adding: "I pray that Allah gives us success and that democracy should continue and the next parliament should also complete its term."
Rehman stood in for the national assembly speaker, who was not present. Very few lawmakers attended what was the last session of Pakistan's 12th national assembly, consisting mostly of farewell speeches.
Pakistan is due to go to the polls to elect a new parliament by the middle of May, but a date has yet to be set.
Ruling and opposition politicians are still negotiating the make-up of a caretaker administration which is set to replace the government within days.
The National Assembly set a record for completing its mandatory 650 sittings in five years on March 12, four days before the completion of the five-year tenure. It became the first National assembly to do so in Pakistan’s history.
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Please also mention it that Pakistani current leadership also makes history by increasing 1-expensiveness most especially importantly electricity and petroleum products, 2-corruption, 3-destruction of key departments econimically,for instance,Pakistan Railway,PIA etc etc, 4-breaking the back bone of common and poor man and 5-making the nation's life miserable......
So many negative comments which is understandable. However, democracy is the best way forward. The Pakistani nation can elect a more competent government this time!
Dispense with the corrupt incompetent elected members and vote for IMRAN KHAN PTI to bring about a revolution in Pakistan. It's make or break time
5 years of joy ridding, looting, foreign trips, shopping abroad and buying luxurious apartments in Europe and getting a gift of 5 billion bullet /bomb proof fort in Lahore.
@Khan: dude, hes sitting in manhattan KANSAS! i mean seriously, there are probably more cows there than people!
Great Victory indeed! Wish this democratic government to stay in power in the coming term as well.
immaturity and immunity for criminals remained continued, if you do compare the economic well being in 2008 comparing with March 16th 2013 the picture overall is very gloomy and groaning, common man went bulldozed because of inconsistency in household items, rampant corruption, massive lawlessness, constant power breakdown, across the provinces people countered outage from 12 to 16 hours, CNG strikes, rising political polorization, sectarian and islamic extremisim, terrorist deominance in the city, insecured life and propertyies, if you go from home no guarantee whether you will come back or will meet with indiscrminate firing, strike calls, shutter down strikes, transporter strikes, only 3 days in a week the business works so how you can say that democracy worked well, a negative picture among the masses. so pray to God for good leadership
Another less mentioned accomplishment of this parliament and the Government that runs it is that in the past 4 years we as Pakistanis have doubled our per capita debt ratio. During the first 60 years of independence, our previous governments or dictatorships were able to put each Pakistani man, woman or child Rs. 40,000 in debt. This current government in the last few years of "democracy" has doubled this amount to Rs. 80,000 per person!! And that also with nothing left in the national treasury and very low foreign exchange reserves.
@Khan: Zia & Mush, huh. It was Zulfiqar Bhutto who was the first to recruit and train Afghan fighter in the 1970's. Read history please.
Made history and send pakistan back in prehistoric dark ages...
Let us give credit to Generals too with a hope that future military leadership will show more responsibilty and extend full co-operation to next govt.Shabash Generals.
@Bunty
Long Live PPP . Long Live the Gaurda of Democracy the people of Pakistan.
Congrats and keep it up.
@naeem khan Manhattan,Ks:
Sitting in Manhattan and cursing elected representatives? You Sir have no right to do that If you don't like them come and vote someone else in up coming election.
I do not adore their policies but we must be happy to see democratic system getting some buds in our country .. There is no alternative system to democracy since the whole population decides who and how should their country be run .. if the system is not perfect then that is an indication of problem in society and the whole population .. Blackouts didn't start in a day .. why hasn't Musharraf built anything to overcome the shortage in his 10 years long government? People are corrupt because there is no tax system and government can't pay higher and equal salaries .. besides they are weak due to the fact they don't have full powers and lets not forget after 65 years for the first time a government has completed its full tenure.
@Bunty:
Immaturity at its peak ... Why would you ask army to stop them? Who are they to stop it .. their role is protection of our borders at which they're failing very miserably .. If you're not happy with these parliamentarians there are two reasons for that, .. 1) people have not seen democracy for long enough and therefore, they elect incompetent leaders, who btw, are no different than You, Me and the society as a whole. 2) The reason we keep on elected same old people is that People like yourself keep asking Army to overthrow an elected parliament who are voted in by millions and millions of men & women who stand in long queues for hours to cast their votes. Stop looking for quick fixes, as when they go wrong they are very hard to be undone just like Zia's blunder of messing in neighboring country and hosting millions of refugees despite having no economy and just like Musharraf's putting 1.5 billion people's lives at risk by starting Kargil.
This is the first in Pakistani history and hopefully not the last. This happened not because of the army and SC but despite them who never missed a chance in the history to abrogate the constitution and aided and abetted in committing high treason.. Those who favor the army/SC duo to takeover and send the assemblies home are actually committing the worst crime of high treason. Most common Pakistanis may not be the angels but thankfully they do not commit the crimes of high treason which are only for establishment.
Please understand the importance of this parliament completing five years.
I agree with everyone that things haven't improved; in fact they have worsened. But this is one small but significant victory against the establishment that hasn't let any parliament complete it's term. It is a triumph in the face of military dictators who have successfully derailed our path to democracy thereby stunting any kind of political maturity in the governing process. It is a warning to the executive and legislative branches of the government that the days of conspiring against democracy are over.
Now our time has come to exercise our right to choose our leaders with more confidence than any other time in the history of this country with the knowledge that the foundation of democracy has been laid. This five-year parliament has made it easy for the next parliament to complete its term.
Go and vote and elect those who you think will change things, and know they will have their whole term to do the job.
@knockdown: Dear if i say that every thing that u mentioned is right even though u must be happy For civil gov finished its term.now u will improve day by day if thr is no martial low enforced. Thats true here no politian is there u can proud on bt if system will run leaders will come out.
Many times i saw thats pakis ask for martial law i cant belive how people ask for. It should be happen in worse case like kashmir wazirstan or baluchistan bt power should remain with PM only.
Good news for Democracy!
I have never seen so many prisoners outside of prison in one place. Shame on you and shame on Army for not stopping them.
well looks like they did made history, look where Pakistan is today !!!!
Assemblies, parliament, senate....etc are constituted for the betterment of people not the other way round. Completing tenures isn't the name or goal of democracy.. had there been no power, no water, no gas still we would have hailed this democracy but if without law and order... people murderd, girls kidnapped and raped.. mobile snatching.. street crimes. this democracy wasn't worth completing 5 year tenure.
Law and Order other than terrorism were surely nothing out of control of this parliament or govt. but no one bothered to take any principal stand. including GHQ. Whenever any voice was raised to tackle Law & Order our godfathers sidelined with a simple statement "Foreign Interfernce".......??Car to Mobile snatching desinged by CIA, Mossad & Raw.. Extortion money.. desinged by CIA Mosssad & RAW.. People kidnapped and murdered.. designed by CIA , Mossad & RAW. and list continues......A girl kidnapped and raped here is also job of foreign interference....else the society and institutions guarding it are all angels.
There is no national party in the country, PPP Sindh Card, MQM..Mohajir Card.. ANP.. Pukhtoon Card.. PML (N) Punjabi Card...PTI..yet to decide about its card.. its looks a Trojan Horse so far. This country is really at mercy of God.
Many congratulations to media anchors, opposition parties and GHQ on completetion of 5 year tenure.. democracy.. vote is nothing more than a mockery to ordinary people. Neither there was any election in 2008 or prior to and nor will be any in 2013.. its just selection.
Why are they bragging to complete 5years, lets see what has they accomplished beside massive corruption, blackouts, negation of Supreme Court's decisions, massive spending and borrowing, nepotism and on and on. You people should be thankful to the Supreme Court of Pakistan who stood there between you and the Army. The court stood for the law of land while you people violated it at every turn and considered yourself above the law. I hope people are awaken and see the real you and keep you back at your luxurious villas and mansions in Pakistan and overseas.