Opposition parties in Pakistan are yet to show maturity in acknowledging the constitutional obligations for the presidential address. The question remains: when will the opposition be able to differentiate between a speech of the constitutional head of the state and one that is made solely for political point-scoring? Unfortunately, the opposition parties in Pakistan have not been able to distance themselves from the traditional style and custom of opposing everything without considering its importance to the nation.
In Pakistan, it is very common to disrupt presidential speeches in the parliament with loud noise and hateful chants. This is a concerning aspect of their democracy and is not seen in other matured democracies around the world. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have all been responsible for this behavior. Recently, it was the turn of the PTI to disrupt the President’s speech, though it is up to the opposition to put an end to this tradition.
President Asif Ali Zardari delivered his seventh parliamentary address in total on Thursday, where he called for an end to the divisive politics that is currently plaguing the country. His speech was interrupted by slogans and posters from opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly. the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, political party heads, top officers of the armed forces, senior judges, all four provincial Chief Ministers, lawmakers of the upper house of the parliament, and provincial assemblies, and various other high-profile guests were present to listen to the President of Pakistan.
The opposition is already famous for not letting any chance go, even in the past the visit of the President of China was canceled for this reason as the opposition was adventuring in the deferral capital. As the president’s address continued, the opposition started making noise and chanting slogans like “Go Zardari go” and some others contrary to the grace of any constitutional head of the state. Mr. President continued emphasizing the need for unity and rebuilding public confidence in the parliamentary process.
Mentioning the 18th Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan that he brought during his previous tenure and empowered the parliament, he urged the parliamentarians to use those powers with wisdom and maturity to meet the country’s needs. He stressed the importance of investing in public needs and creating pathways to inclusive growth while prioritizing the specific needs of marginalized communities.
He spoke of the need for positive working relationships between the federal government and the provinces, an inclusive growth model that emphasizes equality of opportunities, and attracting foreign investment to revitalize the economy. He emphasized the need to address climate change, recalling the devastating super floods of 2022 that hit the country. He resolved to root out terrorism and appreciated the role of the armed forces in this regard. Mr. Zardari expressed his gratitude to all parliamentarians and members of the provincial assemblies for their confidence in electing him for the second time as the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He emphasized the need to turn to a new page stating that today was the beginning of it. He urged on building strength through investing in people and addressing their needs. He hoped that the challenges faced by the country were not impossible to overcome. He concluded, “Let us begin with a vision that leaves no one behind and puts all hands on deck to revitalize the economy.”
Is the speech of the honorable President in the wider national interest or it is just a point scoring? it up to the public to decide; but the message politicians send to the world through such attitude on the floor of the House is important to look for, particularly for today’s opposition party of the country. The President continued with a smiling face saying that the country needs to move from the polarization. He urged the Joint House to play a leading role in rebuilding public confidence in the parliamentary process of Pakistan.
The opposition leader in the National Assembly alleged that the whole of the government in Pakistan including the President and Prime Minister of the country didn’t come through a fair system. He alleged that the president has not yet resigned from his party’s position despite that he is a symbol of the federation. Why PTI is part of this system is a question that obviously PTI can better explain but as far as its allegation against Mr. Zardari’s official position in his party is concerned, it looks valid; and if it is true then Mr, President will hopefully be looking into it to make his passion clear as a true sibble of the federation.
Anyway, as said above disrupting Presidents in their addresses is something traditional, it is worth mentioning here that the same welcome was extended to outgoing President Mr. Arif Ali. The former President’s address marked the start of the fourth year of the parliamentary year of the National Assembly. The opposition lodged a loud protest during Arif Alvi’s annual address to the joint sitting of parliament.
As Alvi started his address, the opposition members encircled the dais holding banners and started raising slogans against the government and the prime minister. The opposition displayed banners with slogans such as “Attack on free press unacceptable, stop economic murder of people and martial law on media and PDM.” A similar attitude PMLN continued when Mr. Asif Zardari was the last time President of Pakistan. Even the former President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mr Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari was treated in the same way. Mr. Farooq served as the eighth president of Pakistan from 14 November 1993 until resigning in December 1997. All this has been going on in Pakistan constantly by every party.
Although every opposition party in Pakistan has been well aware of this, yet is again being stated here just as a reminder and for public information that the presidential address is a constitutional requirement. Article 56 (3) of the constitution about the presidential address says “At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the National Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses assembled and inform the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of the causes of its summons. Similarly, Article 54 (1) states “The President may, from time to time, summon either House or both Houses or 2 [Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)] in joint sitting to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit and may also prorogue the same. Now is it not sufficient that this is a constitutional obligation? Should this obligation be fulfilled smoothly and nicely or should disruptions be made in this regard? It is a question for all in the politics of Pakistan to deliberate.
(Senior journalist Rana Kashif has authored this opinion)
