The ruling PPP and its allies termed President Asif Ali Zardari’s fifth consecutive address to the joint session of parliament “landmark achievement and a victory for democracy”.
“By addressing parliament for the fifth time, the president has created history but the opposition parties staged protest during the address in a bid to make headlines,” said Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan.
Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan said the president’s speech was reflective of the joint vision of the coalition partners. He said prior to the president’s speech, coalition partners had pooled in their proposals which were incorporated in the presidential address. Dr Farooq Sattar of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said the country’s prosperity lay in a strong democratic system and the president’s fifth address would further strengthen the system. PML-Q leader Faisal Saleh Hayat said the fifth address to parliament by an elected president was a landmark achievement. He said the president had given a roadmap to the government for the fifth year and his guidelines in the foreign affairs, energy sector and domestic security were important. Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan of the PPP said Zardari had become the first elected president to address parliament for five times which would prove to be a milestone in democratic history of the country.
Bushra Gohar of the ANP said the president should be congratulated for addressing parliament for the fifth consecutive year. She said the democratic process was passing through a transitional phase and the democratic system was being strengthened step by step. AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majid said the speech was a national address and would strengthen the democratic process in the country. He said the president had also sent a message of good wishes to the Kashmiris which was a positive gesture.