CAIRO: Al Azhar has launched a new initiative to set benchmark criteria for forming the constituent assembly, which will draft the constitution. Under the new criteria, the parliament will not play a leading role in appointing the constituent assembly and all categories of the people would be represented to achieve maximum benefit from national cadres. The new initiative will be submitted to the People's Assembly and the Shura Council for approval. In a statement, Al Azhar called on Monday all political factions to abandon any prejudices and appeal to the constitutional norms and the Egyptian judiciary rulings. This initiative came following a series of meetings held by Dr. Ahmed Al Tayyeb the Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar with a number of the symbols of the political parties and powers ending by a meeting with the Salafist call symbols.
