The session started on December 15 ended on January 5.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said India would like to see a "strong, stable and prosperous" Pakistan. He also said that he was happy to see democracy flourish over there as he received a Parliamentary delegation from that country. Dr Singh also told the delegation, led by Chairman of Pakistan's Senate Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, that closer relations between parliaments in the two countries was necessary for strengthening bilateral relations.
Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday resigned from both Parliament and the ruling Pakistan People's Party and launched a scathing attack on President Asif Ali Zardari, saying he had "sold" out his values to cling to power.
The cross-Line of Control surgical strikes, policy towards Pakistan, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, besides One Rank, One Pension and the plight of farmers were also among issues that were raised at the meeting with parties demanding discussion on them.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who will travel to Islamabad next week to hold talks with President Asif Ali Zardari and caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, will also meet Pakistan Muslim League chief Nawaz Sharif, who is set to form Pakistan's new government.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday said Pakistan stands with Saudi Arabia and will react strongly if there is a threat to its integrity, but kept mum on Riyadh's request for military assistance to fight Houthi rebels in war-ravaged Yemen.
Pakistan has alleged that India was pursuing conventional, nuclear and missile development programmes which can lead to nuclearisation of the Indian Ocean and can disturb the "balance of power" in the region.
According to a Union home ministry notification, those Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians residing in the districts of Anand and Mehsana in Gujarat will be allowed registration as a citizen of India under Section 5 or will be granted certificate of naturalisation under section 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Rules, 2009.
While in power, Khan repeatedly talked about making Pakistan an Islamic welfare state. However, he failed to fix the economy and the basic problem of keeping the prices of commodities in control.
Speaking in the National Assembly during a debate on the Line of Control situation, Aziz said Pakistan is fully capable to defend its border and will not accept any "Indian influence or hegemony" under any circumstances.
The country's top security body "concluded that India has committed uncalled for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing," it added.
In an article in The Washington Post, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari explains the steps taken by his government to combat the ongoing economic crisis, claims that the army is winning in its offensives against militants in tribal areas and defends the country's alliance with the United States.Zardari claims that he is "working with Parliament to run a country, not a political campaign", adding that "in time, good policies will become good politics".
Islamabad high court will hear the petition seeking to include the former Pakistan Minister Imran Khan in the exit control list (ECL) on Monday.
Some civil society groups in Pakistan have demanded that Islamabad formally seek an apology for the atrocities committed by their troops against Bangladeshis in 1971.
'We support the importance of a free press around the world. We continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles, such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief'
Niazi, hand-picked by his party chief Imran Khan, resigned on Thursday after 25 lawmakers of his party moved a resolution of no-confidence motion against him to replace him with party's regional president Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.
May told the House of Commons that the UK remained in regular contact with both countries and was working towards de-escalating tensions.
The prime minister needs 172 votes in the lower house of 342 to foil the Opposition's bid to topple him.
Describing the protests as a "mutiny against Pakistan", the government on Tuesday turned to Parliament for support as demonstrators continued to put pressure on a defiant Nawaz Sharif to quit as prime minister.
Composite dialogue likely to be formally revived; PM visit might also be marked with grant of trade MFN status. Nayanima Basu reports
Former information minister and senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party Fawad Chaudhry said that the premier made the decision after approval from the party's core committee.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the vote of thanks to the President's speech on the opening day of the Budget session.
'The truly amazing part is the influence that Washington wields over Modi and the Sangh Parivar,' says M K Bhadrakumar. 'What explains it? The Americans know precisely well which raw nerve to touch and how to make the Sangh Parivar, Modi and this government perform the trapeze act.'
It is also concerned at report of torture, mistreatment, discrimination and corruption in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Environmental activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk accused the BJP of reneging on its promise of including Ladakh under the sixth schedule.
Hence, "it will be better for Pakistan if we hold elections again," he was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.
Khan was ousted from power after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership following days of high drama.
In democratic India, a citizen can be a patriot and at the same time be critical of the government, unlike China which promulgated a national security law in Hong Kong prescribing patriotism to contest elections, observes Rup Narayan Das.
A landmark constitutional reforms package, which includes proposals to strip the president of his sweeping powers, was on Thursday submitted to the speaker of Pakistan's Parliament by a key committee that finalised it, ahead of its possible introduction in the House on Friday.Raza Rabbani, the leader of the 26-member parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms, presented the package, popularly referred to as the '18th Constitution amendment'.
Trouble is brewing for government in the monsoon session of Parliament, which is expected to start next month, with the Congress on Monday hinting at stacking up ammunition on issues like failure at the Nuclear Suppliers Group, terror strikes and diatribes of Subramanian Swamy.
Gambhir also took a dig at Qureshi's emphasis on a "new Pakistan" under Khan, saying while the Indian delegation had come to listen to Pakistan's "new" foreign minister outline the vision of a new Pakistan, "what we heard is a 'New Pakistan' cast in the mold of old."
The change of government in Pakistan after the exit of hawkish Imran Khan and his likely replacement by hard-core realist Shehbaz Sharif may provide a little window of opportunity for the leaders of India and Pakistan to reset their nearly frozen bilateral ties, according to experts.
Pakistan's Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday noted that National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri's move to dismiss a no-confidence motion against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan through a controversial ruling is, prima facie, a violation of article 95 of the constitution as the apex court heard the high-profile case for the fourth day.
'There is a consensus within the Indian security establishment -- at least among those who draw their conclusions from data instead of speaking from nationalist sentiment -- that India lacks the offensive capability to defeat Pakistan in a short war.'
In a bid to bring Pakistan's powerful Inter Services Intelligence under civilian control, the Senate has recommended an effective role of Parliament in monitoring it while giving the spy agency power to arrest and detain.
However, the Trump administration has left it for the State Department to take a final call on the issue.
Answering critics, she said in the latest arrangement, the level of talks on terror has been raised as this issue will now be dealt with by the national security advisors instead of foreign secretaries as earlier.
'Pakistan's security establishment, despite its appallingly immoral approach to conflict, has worked with limited resources to maximise its national defence resources to continue bleeding India,' says Ajai Shukla.
'The government is scared of this Congress yatra, that is why various orders and letters are being issued'
Pakistan Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the government's plea to issue an order for the eviction of protesters besieging the Parliament, saying it is an administrative matter and should be dealt with in accordance with the law.
