[JURIST] Newly elected members of the National Assembly of Pakistan [official website] took their oaths of office Monday, marking a shift in power to a new majority opposed to Pakistani President Pervez Musharaf [BBC profile; JURIST news archive]. Though neither party won an outright majority in February's parliamentary elections, the Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League [party websites] have formed a coalition government and have vowed to establish a fully independent judiciary, saying that they will reinstate judges [JURIST reports] who were dismissed by Musharraf last year. The new government will begin considering legislation later this month.

The two coalition government parties signed an agreement [text; JURIST report] earlier this month outlining priorities for the new parliamentary session. Under the agreement, parliament will vote within the next month on the reinstatement of judges. AP has more.