Cairo licenses a new political party

The parties affairs committee in Egypt approved the formation if a political party led by lawyer and member of parliament Ayman Nour. This is, however the third time in which the committee green lights a new party since its foundation in 1977.

The Middle East News Agency said that the committee which is led by the speaker of the Shoura council Safwat al-Sharif and includes as members the ministers of the interior and justice and People's Assembly affairs as well as three retired judges, agreed to the application providing for the foundation of a new political party called "al-Ghad."

The parties committee which was formed in 1977 after the approval of multi-party system in Egypt, had only twice approved earlier the foundation of new parties in Egypt. These were in 2000 and in 2001 on al-Awfaq (reconciliation) and the Democratic Generation parties. The founders of the new party which includes three parliamentarians stress they belong to the liberal trend, and they are known pragmatists. They moved among many parties including the socialist Arab Egypt party, al-Wafd, al-Ummah and al-Takaful party.

Meantine, some 3,000 students in al-Azhar university, Asyout branch, have been observing a sit in since four days in the university hostile, in protest of preventing 100 of their colleagues from staying in the hostile because of their affiliation to the Muslim Brothers group. N.