CNews Islamabad: President Zardari is addressing Joint session of the Parliament at the moment.
The address began with a recitation from the Holy Quran.
President Zardari paid tributes to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for sacrificing her life for the cause of democracy.
President Asif Zardari thanked all Parliamentarians to struggle for the cause of democracy.
President Zardari said he has been given the honour to address the Parliament. He said he humbly stands before democracy.
President said no one would be allowed to violate territorial integrity of Pakistan, and terrorists would not be allowed to use Pakistani soil for terror acts against anyone.
He said the issue of judiciary should be resolved under the constitution and law.
The President said we want good relations with India but there should be a win-win situation. He said all issues with Indian need to be resolved through negotiations and dialogue.
Never before in the history of this country has a President stood here and given away his powers.
The parliament should form an all parties committee to remove distortions in the constitution and ‘revisit’ the 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)b.The responsibility of the elected representatives to remove these distortions in the Constitution made by the successive dictators to prolong their rule.My dream is to free this great country from the shackles of poverty, hunger, terrorism and disunity.
It is the agenda of moving quickly to heal the wounds of the past and restore the trust in the federation.Successive blows have weakened the federation, which needs to be strengthened. For this, the bitterness of the past must give way to reconciliation and harmony. I believe that the 1973 constitution is the only consensus document that can fashion such a social contractThe government should start consensus building process on provincial autonomy and the allocation of resources through a new formula that meets the needs of a united federation.The release from captivity of former chief minister Balochistan is also a positive move,The recent resolution of a longstanding dispute and payment of billions of rupees to Balochistan is a step in the right direction.The people of the Northern Areas must also get their basic rights, representative rule and an independent judiciary.We believe in the independence of the judiciary and all matters concerning the judiciary shall be resolved in accordance with the constitution and law.My address to the joint session of the Parliament, in less than two weeks after his election as President shows that the coalition holds the parliament in the highest esteem.Under dictatorship, the Parliament was stripped of its powers, and not given due respect.Despite the constitutional requirement the head of the state in the last eight years only once addressed the joint sitting of the parliament.The parliament will never be bypassed in matters of national importance.The days of constitutional deviation and bypassing the Parliament while taking decisions of national importance are over.The President and the government must always seek guidance from the Parliament in carrying out their duties.We are committed to upholding the sanctity of the Constitution, supremacy of the Parliament, and, rule of law.The cardinal principle of our governance is respect for the mandate of the people as manifested in the February 18 elections.We must root out terrorism and extremism wherever and whenever they may rear their ugly heads.Reforming the tribal areas and bringing them into the mainstream of national life can no longer be delayed and they must be treated at par with the rest of their Pakistani brethren.A three-pronged strategy is needed to meet the challenge posed by the extremist and terrorist elements in the Tribal Areas and the adjoining regions.Firstly we should make peace with those who are willing to keep the peace and renounce violence; secondly we should invest in the development and social uplift of the local people.The use force will only be a last resort against those who refuse to surrender their arms, take the law into their hands, challenge the writ of the Government and attack security forces.
I will request the government to hold a national security briefing for an in-camera joint session of Parliament, so that all stakeholders have ownership of this policy.“Let everyone have an opportunity to make an informed judgment about the risks to our beloved country and about how we should move forward with responsibility and clarity of vision.”
The government should be firm in its resolve to not allow the use of its soil for carrying out terrorist activities against any foreign country.
Pakistan will not tolerate the violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity by any power in the name of combating terrorism.
The world has become a dangerous place for nations with conflict on their borders, Pakistan needs peace not only within but also in its neighbourhood.
At all times, we must keep our national interest in mind”, he said and added “this means understanding the limits of confrontation.
Under this strategy President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai was especially invited to his oath taking ceremony.
It was as a mark of Pakistan’s sincere desire and consistent efforts to promote close relations and strengthen cooperation with the brotherly country of Afghanistan.
The government believes that relations between India and Pakistan should be creatively reinvented.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had said, “It is time for new ideas. It is time for bold commitment. And it is time for honesty, both among people and between people. There has been enough pain. It is time for reconciliation.”
For these ideas and for seeking peaceful relations in the region, we were once called a “security risk” by our critics. But ideas cannot be killed by repression.
The Charter of Democracy binds the government to a framework of peace and justice for the people of Pakistan and peace and friendship with India.
Pakistan has decided to resume the composite-dialogue process with India, driving its relations through enhanced trade.
We are fully commitment to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for their fundamental rights.
We will continue to seek the settlement of all outstanding disputes, including the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir so that the main hurdle in the way towards peace and full normalization of relations between Pakistan and India is removed.
As a new initiative a cross-LoC trade as a pioneering CBM in Kashmir will be started.
There should be a more liberal visa regime to further expand people-to-people contacts and friendly exchanges, and establish new facilities for the visiting Sikh and Hindu pilgrims.
The Parliament should form a bipartisan caucus for the purpose of resolving outstanding disputes relating to Kashmir and the Indus Water head works.
All parties must be represented on this caucus so that the nation is united on this key issue and draws strength by speaking in one voice.
The government will endeavour to promote regional and international peace and security as well as the socio-economic development of people.
The world has changed to market democracy. Our foreign policy would be geared to not only defense of territorial integrity and sovereignty but also promotion of commercial and economic interests.
Pakistan can position itself as the trade and energy hub for South and Central Asia.
Pakistan will strengthen its brotherly relations with Iran and take its time-tested and all-weather friendship and strategic partnership with China to greater heights.
With the United States and our European partners we will endeavour to build a long-term partnership that is broad-based and mutually beneficial.
Pakistan will continue to extend full support to the Palestinian cause of self-determination and valued its ties with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Libya.
We will rejuvenate our relations with the Arab League, the OIC and ASEAN to promote bilateral trade and investment.
With excellent relations with the Islamic and Arab countries, Pakistan will further develop its friendship with the countries of Asia, Latin America and Africa.
We underscore our commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, international law and values of our common humanity.
The greatest challenge this government faces is an economic one and the immediate and most urgent task is to provide food security to the common man burdened with the rising prices of food items.
The economic down-turn has been caused by global oil and food shocks as well as the neglect of agricultural sector over the past nine years.
The introduction of welfare schemes like Benazir Income Support Programme, with a budgetary allocation of Rs. 34 billion, to provide immediate relief to the poorest of the poor.
The present government inherited an economy that was driven by pureconsumption, and as such was saddled with huge liabilities of unpaid subsidy-claims on account of petroleum products, power tariffs and luxury imports.
The government's decision to remove subsidies on oil and gas was aimed at improving the balance of payments situation.
I see a new beginning for our economy, marked by a program of restoring investors’ confidence, resumption of foreign investment, gradual build-up of reserves, exchange rate stability and, above all, revival of sustainable growth.
Unlike the previous government, which did not install a single new Megawatt in seven years, the present government has taken immediate short and medium term measures to address the issue.
The load-shedding in the country will go by the end of next year. We cannot take Pakistan out of darkness in one month, but we can certainly do it by the end of the next year.
Agriculture needs to be placed at the top of the agenda for ensuring food security on a long term basis, generating jobs and income for a vast majority of people living in the rural areas of the country.
The vast and rapidly changing agriculture sector offers enormous opportunities to hundreds of thousands of rural poor to break the vicious cycle of poverty.
Agriculture-led growth will raise farm incomes, lower food prices and generate the surplus for exports that we so urgently need.
It was for the first time in the country’s history of Pakistan that the government is looking at crop-insurance schemes.
Development of women is not possible without justice for women.
Despite legislation that protects women, the women of this great nation continue to suffer crimes against them with disturbing frequency.
I ask the government do its utmost to not just provide protection to women, but to empower them at every step of the long road to their just entitlements as full citizens of this state.
We cannot reverse decades of social backwardness by one stroke of the pen, but we can, and we will turn this tide slowly but surely.
For the first time ever, all state allotments, both in income support or land, will be made in the name of the women of this country, as Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would have wanted.
This is a first step on a long journey, but let me assure you, the women of Pakistan will stand with me in this venture.
Despite a crucial role played by the minorities in the development of country, they have not received their social and political dues.
We will further draw them into the mainstream of national life and make full use of their potential.
The media has come a long way from the first day the PPP government opened up the airwaves to private networks.
Our Government lost no time to dismantle the infrastructure of violence that the last regime had left behind in repealing the Pemra and Print media ordinances which hung over the media’s head like a sword.
The government will soon be bringing other fundamental laws, such as the Freedom of Information Bill, and work with stakeholders toward an open atmosphere of self regulation with no interference from the state.
The government should look into providing wage support and housing colonies in every province on a low-cost basis, for all journalists.
Under the new set up, the Parliament is asserting its role as a sovereign body. “For the first time in more than 44 years, the Defence Budget was discussed in the National Assembly.
The unopposed election of PML-N leader Ch. Nisar Ali Khan as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee shows the fulfillment of commitment in the Charter of Democracy.
Also for the first time in the history of Pakistan, we have appointed a Chairman of Public Accounts Committee as per our commitment in the Charter of Democracy.
The government has decided to repeal the NAB Ordinance and replace it with a system that is across the board, transparent and within the accepted norms of the mainstream judicial system.
The harsh provisions in the FCR are being done away with. A committee for PATA and another committee on FCR set up by the government are finalizing their recommendations.
I recommend to the government to change the name of NWFP to Pukhtunkhwa, in response to a long-standing demand of the people of that province.
Democracy in Pakistan has finally been restored but it is still a tender sapling which needs nurturing before it becomes a great sheltering tree.
There are still elements, who want to derail it yet once again.
With faith in democracy and national reconciliation as envisaged by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto we must remain vigilant against such elements.
The people of Pakistan have great hopes and expectations from this Parliament, the political parties need to join hands and work together in harmony and not in discord.
We need to banish forever the politics of destruction and confrontation. The people yearn for a better future. They long for a Pakistan that was envisaged by the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Qauid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
That indeed is the Pakistan for which Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto gave her life. That is the Pakistan for which we will live.
That is the Pakistan for which I, as President, will lend all support.
As someone who has walked from a death cell to the Presidency, let me assure you, nothing is impossible. I can steer the country out of darkness with the help of this Government.
I am confident that the parliamentarians will rise to the people’s expectations and not disappoint them.
Let us pledge to help build together a secure, strong and prosperous Pakistan. May Allah help us in this noble mission.
The address began with a recitation from the Holy Quran.
President Zardari paid tributes to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for sacrificing her life for the cause of democracy.
President Asif Zardari thanked all Parliamentarians to struggle for the cause of democracy.
President Zardari said he has been given the honour to address the Parliament. He said he humbly stands before democracy.
President said no one would be allowed to violate territorial integrity of Pakistan, and terrorists would not be allowed to use Pakistani soil for terror acts against anyone.
He said the issue of judiciary should be resolved under the constitution and law.
The President said we want good relations with India but there should be a win-win situation. He said all issues with Indian need to be resolved through negotiations and dialogue.
Never before in the history of this country has a President stood here and given away his powers.
The parliament should form an all parties committee to remove distortions in the constitution and ‘revisit’ the 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)b.The responsibility of the elected representatives to remove these distortions in the Constitution made by the successive dictators to prolong their rule.My dream is to free this great country from the shackles of poverty, hunger, terrorism and disunity.
It is the agenda of moving quickly to heal the wounds of the past and restore the trust in the federation.Successive blows have weakened the federation, which needs to be strengthened. For this, the bitterness of the past must give way to reconciliation and harmony. I believe that the 1973 constitution is the only consensus document that can fashion such a social contractThe government should start consensus building process on provincial autonomy and the allocation of resources through a new formula that meets the needs of a united federation.The release from captivity of former chief minister Balochistan is also a positive move,The recent resolution of a longstanding dispute and payment of billions of rupees to Balochistan is a step in the right direction.The people of the Northern Areas must also get their basic rights, representative rule and an independent judiciary.We believe in the independence of the judiciary and all matters concerning the judiciary shall be resolved in accordance with the constitution and law.My address to the joint session of the Parliament, in less than two weeks after his election as President shows that the coalition holds the parliament in the highest esteem.Under dictatorship, the Parliament was stripped of its powers, and not given due respect.Despite the constitutional requirement the head of the state in the last eight years only once addressed the joint sitting of the parliament.The parliament will never be bypassed in matters of national importance.The days of constitutional deviation and bypassing the Parliament while taking decisions of national importance are over.The President and the government must always seek guidance from the Parliament in carrying out their duties.We are committed to upholding the sanctity of the Constitution, supremacy of the Parliament, and, rule of law.The cardinal principle of our governance is respect for the mandate of the people as manifested in the February 18 elections.We must root out terrorism and extremism wherever and whenever they may rear their ugly heads.Reforming the tribal areas and bringing them into the mainstream of national life can no longer be delayed and they must be treated at par with the rest of their Pakistani brethren.A three-pronged strategy is needed to meet the challenge posed by the extremist and terrorist elements in the Tribal Areas and the adjoining regions.Firstly we should make peace with those who are willing to keep the peace and renounce violence; secondly we should invest in the development and social uplift of the local people.The use force will only be a last resort against those who refuse to surrender their arms, take the law into their hands, challenge the writ of the Government and attack security forces.
I will request the government to hold a national security briefing for an in-camera joint session of Parliament, so that all stakeholders have ownership of this policy.“Let everyone have an opportunity to make an informed judgment about the risks to our beloved country and about how we should move forward with responsibility and clarity of vision.”
The government should be firm in its resolve to not allow the use of its soil for carrying out terrorist activities against any foreign country.
Pakistan will not tolerate the violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity by any power in the name of combating terrorism.
The world has become a dangerous place for nations with conflict on their borders, Pakistan needs peace not only within but also in its neighbourhood.
At all times, we must keep our national interest in mind”, he said and added “this means understanding the limits of confrontation.
Under this strategy President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai was especially invited to his oath taking ceremony.
It was as a mark of Pakistan’s sincere desire and consistent efforts to promote close relations and strengthen cooperation with the brotherly country of Afghanistan.
The government believes that relations between India and Pakistan should be creatively reinvented.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had said, “It is time for new ideas. It is time for bold commitment. And it is time for honesty, both among people and between people. There has been enough pain. It is time for reconciliation.”
For these ideas and for seeking peaceful relations in the region, we were once called a “security risk” by our critics. But ideas cannot be killed by repression.
The Charter of Democracy binds the government to a framework of peace and justice for the people of Pakistan and peace and friendship with India.
Pakistan has decided to resume the composite-dialogue process with India, driving its relations through enhanced trade.
We are fully commitment to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for their fundamental rights.
We will continue to seek the settlement of all outstanding disputes, including the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir so that the main hurdle in the way towards peace and full normalization of relations between Pakistan and India is removed.
As a new initiative a cross-LoC trade as a pioneering CBM in Kashmir will be started.
There should be a more liberal visa regime to further expand people-to-people contacts and friendly exchanges, and establish new facilities for the visiting Sikh and Hindu pilgrims.
The Parliament should form a bipartisan caucus for the purpose of resolving outstanding disputes relating to Kashmir and the Indus Water head works.
All parties must be represented on this caucus so that the nation is united on this key issue and draws strength by speaking in one voice.
The government will endeavour to promote regional and international peace and security as well as the socio-economic development of people.
The world has changed to market democracy. Our foreign policy would be geared to not only defense of territorial integrity and sovereignty but also promotion of commercial and economic interests.
Pakistan can position itself as the trade and energy hub for South and Central Asia.
Pakistan will strengthen its brotherly relations with Iran and take its time-tested and all-weather friendship and strategic partnership with China to greater heights.
With the United States and our European partners we will endeavour to build a long-term partnership that is broad-based and mutually beneficial.
Pakistan will continue to extend full support to the Palestinian cause of self-determination and valued its ties with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Libya.
We will rejuvenate our relations with the Arab League, the OIC and ASEAN to promote bilateral trade and investment.
With excellent relations with the Islamic and Arab countries, Pakistan will further develop its friendship with the countries of Asia, Latin America and Africa.
We underscore our commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, international law and values of our common humanity.
The greatest challenge this government faces is an economic one and the immediate and most urgent task is to provide food security to the common man burdened with the rising prices of food items.
The economic down-turn has been caused by global oil and food shocks as well as the neglect of agricultural sector over the past nine years.
The introduction of welfare schemes like Benazir Income Support Programme, with a budgetary allocation of Rs. 34 billion, to provide immediate relief to the poorest of the poor.
The present government inherited an economy that was driven by pureconsumption, and as such was saddled with huge liabilities of unpaid subsidy-claims on account of petroleum products, power tariffs and luxury imports.
The government's decision to remove subsidies on oil and gas was aimed at improving the balance of payments situation.
I see a new beginning for our economy, marked by a program of restoring investors’ confidence, resumption of foreign investment, gradual build-up of reserves, exchange rate stability and, above all, revival of sustainable growth.
Unlike the previous government, which did not install a single new Megawatt in seven years, the present government has taken immediate short and medium term measures to address the issue.
The load-shedding in the country will go by the end of next year. We cannot take Pakistan out of darkness in one month, but we can certainly do it by the end of the next year.
Agriculture needs to be placed at the top of the agenda for ensuring food security on a long term basis, generating jobs and income for a vast majority of people living in the rural areas of the country.
The vast and rapidly changing agriculture sector offers enormous opportunities to hundreds of thousands of rural poor to break the vicious cycle of poverty.
Agriculture-led growth will raise farm incomes, lower food prices and generate the surplus for exports that we so urgently need.
It was for the first time in the country’s history of Pakistan that the government is looking at crop-insurance schemes.
Development of women is not possible without justice for women.
Despite legislation that protects women, the women of this great nation continue to suffer crimes against them with disturbing frequency.
I ask the government do its utmost to not just provide protection to women, but to empower them at every step of the long road to their just entitlements as full citizens of this state.
We cannot reverse decades of social backwardness by one stroke of the pen, but we can, and we will turn this tide slowly but surely.
For the first time ever, all state allotments, both in income support or land, will be made in the name of the women of this country, as Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would have wanted.
This is a first step on a long journey, but let me assure you, the women of Pakistan will stand with me in this venture.
Despite a crucial role played by the minorities in the development of country, they have not received their social and political dues.
We will further draw them into the mainstream of national life and make full use of their potential.
The media has come a long way from the first day the PPP government opened up the airwaves to private networks.
Our Government lost no time to dismantle the infrastructure of violence that the last regime had left behind in repealing the Pemra and Print media ordinances which hung over the media’s head like a sword.
The government will soon be bringing other fundamental laws, such as the Freedom of Information Bill, and work with stakeholders toward an open atmosphere of self regulation with no interference from the state.
The government should look into providing wage support and housing colonies in every province on a low-cost basis, for all journalists.
Under the new set up, the Parliament is asserting its role as a sovereign body. “For the first time in more than 44 years, the Defence Budget was discussed in the National Assembly.
The unopposed election of PML-N leader Ch. Nisar Ali Khan as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee shows the fulfillment of commitment in the Charter of Democracy.
Also for the first time in the history of Pakistan, we have appointed a Chairman of Public Accounts Committee as per our commitment in the Charter of Democracy.
The government has decided to repeal the NAB Ordinance and replace it with a system that is across the board, transparent and within the accepted norms of the mainstream judicial system.
The harsh provisions in the FCR are being done away with. A committee for PATA and another committee on FCR set up by the government are finalizing their recommendations.
I recommend to the government to change the name of NWFP to Pukhtunkhwa, in response to a long-standing demand of the people of that province.
Democracy in Pakistan has finally been restored but it is still a tender sapling which needs nurturing before it becomes a great sheltering tree.
There are still elements, who want to derail it yet once again.
With faith in democracy and national reconciliation as envisaged by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto we must remain vigilant against such elements.
The people of Pakistan have great hopes and expectations from this Parliament, the political parties need to join hands and work together in harmony and not in discord.
We need to banish forever the politics of destruction and confrontation. The people yearn for a better future. They long for a Pakistan that was envisaged by the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Qauid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
That indeed is the Pakistan for which Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto gave her life. That is the Pakistan for which we will live.
That is the Pakistan for which I, as President, will lend all support.
As someone who has walked from a death cell to the Presidency, let me assure you, nothing is impossible. I can steer the country out of darkness with the help of this Government.
I am confident that the parliamentarians will rise to the people’s expectations and not disappoint them.
Let us pledge to help build together a secure, strong and prosperous Pakistan. May Allah help us in this noble mission.
