Country needs political stability, declares Zardari amid PTI’s noisy protest

President Asif Ali Zardari has stressed the need for political stability and solidarity in the country, saying the government must keep all the provinces together as they have to work jointly to take Pakistan forward, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Addressing the joint session of Parliament in Islamabad on Monday, President Zardari counted government’s feats in the economy sector, saying growing economic heartbeat is always welcome.

As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers did not waste any time and started chanting slogans against the government as soon as the president began his speech, a smiling Zardari adjusted his focus to his address and said, “It is my singular privilege to address for the eighth time as a civilian president since the beginning of the parliamentary year.”

The new parliamentary year, he added, was the time to review progress, which had been made during the last one year. He said that people of Pakistan had pinned their hopes on the parliament. “Therefore, members of the parliament (MPs) should come up to their expectations,” he added. 

Zardari went on to say there was a need to work hard to strengthen the democratic system in the country and restore people’s confidence in the rule of law. He said, “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,” he said and added “Our people have pinned their hope on parliament and we must rise to the occasion. 

“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.”

Zardari said he lauded 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 the stock market also surged to a record high,” he added. 

Zardari called for enhanced cooperation with friendly regional countries in the areas of trade, economy, and climate and culture exchanges and reiterated that Pakistan would continue to play its role as a responsible and peace-loving nation. He said that Pakistan remained committed to regional peace, stability, and economic integration. He said that Pakistan’s foreign policy would always be guided by national interests, international cooperation, and the principles of sovereignty and mutual respect.

Calling the “time-tested” ties with China a cornerstone of Pakistan’s diplomacy, he said the country would continue to further strengthen economic and strategic ties with Beijing. “We will further cement our All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with China and continue to support the One-China Policy,” he said and recalled his “fruitful” discussions with the Chinese leadership during his recent visit to China in which he invited them to make more investments in CPEC to improve regional and economic integration.

President Zardari said that both nations had reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening economic cooperation and that the benefits of China Pakistan Economic Corridor would reach every corner of Pakistan. He deeply appreciated the support of “trusted” friends including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, and others who have stood by Pakistan in times of economic challenges.

“We are committed to further strengthening our longstanding historical, cultural, and economic ties with the friendly nations of the Gulf and Central Asia as well as the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America,” he stated.

Referring to the arrest of top-tier ISKP terrorist Sharifullah, he said that the recent successful counterterrorism cooperation between the US and Pakistan was encouraging and both the nations should build on these successes to renew and enhance cooperation for joint goals.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the chiefs of the three armed forces, provincial governors, chief ministers and speakers of provincial assemblies were in attendance.

The National Assembly Secretariat has finalised preparations for the joint session, ensuring strict security protocols.

Special entry passes had been issued, and guests access had been completely restricted.

Security has been heightened inside and around Parliament House, with additional deployment to ensure smooth proceedings.

Reporter: Rozina Ali