ISLAMABAD, MAR 10: President Asif Ali Zardari is addressing a joint session of parliament attended by MNAs and senators. “It is my singular privilege as your president to address for the eighth time the beginning of the parliamentary year,” Zardari said amid noisy sloganeering from opposition members.
“This moment marks not only the continuation of our democratic journey but also provides us with an opportunity to review our progress and reaffirm our commitment to building a better future for Pakistan.”
“As we embark on this new parliamentary year, I urge this house in promoting good governance and political economic stability.
“Our people have pinned their hope on parliament and we must rise to the occasion,” he said.
“It is my first duty to remind you we need to work harder to strengthen our democratic system, restore public confidence in the rule of law, and put Pakistan on the road to prosperity.”
As protests by opposition members continued, President Zardari said: “I would like to appreciate the government’s efforts of putting the country on a positive path through economic growth. Our foreign exchange reserves have experienced a surge, there was a substantial increase in FDI and and the stock market also surged to a record high.”
The government has also reduced the policy rate from 22 to 12 per cent, and all other economic indicators have shown a healthy sign of improvement, he said.
“You are aware that the population dynamics of our country have changed. A combination of factors presents challenges we must address. The high rate of our population growth along with strategic drift in our administrative machinery has increased governance issues manifold.
“It is my considered opinion that this House should take its responsibilities seriously, and play its role in a real re-set of our governance and service delivery outcomes,” the president said.
“As far as the government is concerned, ministries too need to redefine their vision and objectives, and understand that pressing issues faced by the people of Pakistan have to be resolved within a certain time frame,” he said. “We need to deliver tangible benefits to restore the trust of the people in democratic institutions.”
The president went on to say: “Democracy needs give and take, and what better place to work on collective goals than this Parliament?”
“As elected representatives, you function as role models for the nation. As you go about your parliamentary business think beyond narrow goals. Think of the unity and consensus our country so desperately needs.”
“I would urge all of you to empower our people, make decisions of national importance with consensus, encourage domestic and international investments for economic growth and job creation, foster social and economic justice, and ensure fairness and transparency in our system,” he said.
Zardari, who is serving as the country’s president for the second time, has already addressed the joint sitting of parliament seven times, including once during the present regime last year.
It was expected that the PTI-led opposition will stage a noisy protest during his speech as it had done last year when President Zardari addressed the joint sitting.
In his address last year, President Zardari had highlighted the need for shunning political hatred and establishing political harmony to overcome the crisis confronting Pakistan together.
He had also underlined the need for eradicating terrorism, ensuring ease of doing business, focusing on health and education, poverty etc.
As per Article 56 of the Constitution, the president addresses both houses of parliament at the start of the first session of each parliamentary year. The NA secretariat has made strict security measures for the joint session.
Sources in the Presidency told Dawn that in his today’s address, President Zardari would outline the federal government’s performance and governance issues.
The address comes at a time when differences between the ruling coalition partners, PML-N and Mr Zardari’s PPP, have started becoming more visible. While the PPP has no ministers in the federal cabinet, its votes are integral to the survival of the ruling coalition.
Several leaders including PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari recently expressed displeasure over what they called the “indifferent attitude” of the PML-N with its ally. PPP leaders complained of being sidelined particularly in Punjab, where the PML-N is in power.
Also, the PPP-led Sindh government has strongly opposed the PML-N government’s move to carve out new canals from the Indus River to irrigate barren land in Punjab’s Cholistan area. The Sindh government claims the new canals would reduce the province’s share of water and may turn the cultivable land barren.
