National Assembly Speaker Dr. Fahmida Mirza says parliament will not be allowed to become a rubber stamp and Pakistan will be run through legislation instead of presidential ordinances. People are looking towards the elected parliamentarians for the solution to their problems, she said and termed it a must to hold parliamentary debate on all the important national issues, including terrorism. Dr. Mirza said proper representation would be given to women and minority legislators in the parliamentary committees and equal representation would be given to the members of the opposition benches in the National Assembly. The speaker said it was an honor for her that she was not only the first woman speaker of the National Assembly in Pakistan but of the entire Muslim world. She said huge responsibility lied on her shoulders being the speaker because the eyes of the world were focused on Pakistan in the present situation. “I will do justice to my post and being a custodian of the National Assembly, I will run it according to the rules and regulations,” she added adding that it was the responsibility of every parliamentarian to discuss those issues, which derailed the democratic process in the country time and again. She said the presence of ministers in the National Assembly during the question-hour session would be ensured so that they should reply to the questions about problems personally. Regarding the probe into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the speaker hinted at a National Assembly resolution asking for getting the case investigated through the UN. __
