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ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to summon the joint sitting of parliament on March 2 (Monday) at 11am in the National Assembly hall. It will commence the third Parliamentary Year.
President Asif Ali Zardari will address the sitting. According to constitutional provisions, “The President should address a Joint Session of Parliament at the commencement of the first session of National Assembly following a general election and at the outset of each parliamentary year as well.”
It will be President Asif Zardari’s 3rd annual address before the sitting parliament and in aggregate it would be his 8th annual address.
He made similar address five times in 2009 National Assembly.
The president will throw light on the previous year’s performance of the government and will highlight the government plans for the following year. The address of the president is supposed to be provided by the government. The Prime Minister’s Office has asked various ministries to submit details regarding their previous year’s performance and plans for the upcoming year.
The National Assembly and Senate sessions are also being summoned separately immediately after the joint sitting of parliament. Their sessions would continue till the second week of March where the presidential address would come under discussion.
The two houses would be adjourned sine die in the third week of March.
The sources pointed out that the PTI and opposition parties have threatened to disrupt the joint sitting of parliament if their demands are not met. Their demands are related to provision of relief to the incarcerated founder of PTI.
Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq will convene a meeting of different group leaders to ensure smooth transaction of joint sitting’s business, the source said.
