Zardari urges political leadership to prioritize national interests

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has called for collaborative efforts to navigate the country out of crisis and urged all stakeholders to contribute towards the nation’s prosperity.

He made these remarks during his address at a joint session of parliament following the February 8 general elections, which was held amidst protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmakers.

In his opening statements, the president expressed gratitude to all parliamentarians and provincial assembly members for re-electing him as the president of Pakistan for a second term.

The President emphasized meaningful dialogues, parliamentary consensus and time-bound implementation of rigorous reforms to take the country forward.

Sharing his vision for future, President Asif Ali Zardari urged the political leadership to prioritize the specific needs of marginalized community and under develop areas, underscoring the need to move forward on the path of inclusive growth.

The President said Pakistan needs to revitalize its economy.  He said our primary objective should be to attract foreign direct investment. He urged the government intensified its efforts in implementation comprehensive ease of doing business reforms and simplifying regulations to provide an enabling environment to both domestic and foreign investors.

He commended the establishment of Special Investment Facilitation Council to attract investment in key sectors of the economy, describing it as a step in the right direction.

President Zardari emphasized that their shared agenda and ideology will fortify the country and stressed the importance of fostering a political atmosphere that meets the expectations of all stakeholders.

He urged the political leadership to prioritize national interests and emphasized the necessity of resolving differences for the betterment of the nation.

President Zardari advocated for implementing economic reforms and fostering harmonious relationships among provinces.

He called for proactive measures, highlighting that institutional harmony is essential to pave the way for the country’s development.

The joint session was called by the president under the powers conferred by Articles 54(1) and 56(3) of the Constitution.

This address marked President Zardari’s seventh appearance at a joint session, having previously addressed parliament six times during his earlier tenure from 2008 to 2013.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Aseefa Bhutto, and other members of the National Assembly and Senate attended the session, alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Additionally, the president has summoned a session of the National Assembly on Friday at 10:30 am as per the powers vested in him by Article 54(1) of the Constitution.

It’s noteworthy that this is the first joint session following the commencement of the new parliamentary year, after the election of members to both the upper and lower houses.

Earlier, the joint session was scheduled for April 16 but was rescheduled to a later date.

Former president Arif Alvi, despite being in office at the time of elections on February 8, was unable to convene a joint session due to pending Senate elections.

Previously, President Alvi had called a joint session on October 6, 2022, during a coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The National Assembly Secretariat extended invitations to the chief justice of Pakistan, governors, chief ministers of all provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as several senior officials including the Pakistan Army’s chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC) and the three services chiefs.