THE first session of the Pakistan Parliament began at 11 a.m. on Monday [Feb 23] with recitations from the Holy Quran.

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the President was in the chair. Mr Tamizuddin Khan, former Education Minister, Bengal, was declared elected as the Deputy President of the Parliament, no other nomination paper having been filed. Forty-five members, who attended this session, took the oath of allegiance with the constitution of Pakistan, as by law established. The Quaid-i-Azam was the first to take the oath. The House devoted nearly half an hour mourning the tragic death of Mahatma Gandhi. All sections of the House joined in the expression of deep sense of sorrow ... on the assassination of the great leader. Dawn Special Correspondent [Meanwhile, it was also reported that] The Federal Court of Pakistan has been established. A notification of the Ministry of Law, Government of Pakistan, gave details of the Federal Court of Pakistan Order of 1948 which establishes the Federal Court of Pakistan with effect from Aug 15 last.