Pakistan parliament to discuss Mumbai terror attack

The ruling coalition in Pakistan is planning summoning a special session of parliament within the next three days to discuss the post-Mumbai attacks situation and to thrash out a consensus response to Indian allegations of Pakistan’s involvement.

A Pakistan People’s Party federal minister confirmed here Tuesday that a proposal is at hand, which will be put before the national security conference for acceptance or rejection.

He said President Asif Zardari had no objection to this proposal. He, however, emphasised that the decision to convene parliament’s special session would be taken possibly on Wednesday or Thursday with consensus by the conference, which will be presided over by Prime Minister Yousaf Gilani.

To a question, if there was any possibility that instead of a joint sitting of the parliament’s two houses the National Assembly could be summoned to debate the latest developments, he agreed the initiative could be confined to the lower house. However, he hastened to add that the upcoming national conference would decide this issue as well.