September 21, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 20, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: Extraordinary security measures turned out to be disgusting for the invitees to the joint parliamentary session which was addressed by President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday.

People were literally stranded on roads leading to the parliament house due to security measures. The uncalled for caution caused undue delays in entry of the guests to the Parliament House, which also delayed the speech of the president by some twenty minutes.

Interestingly, President Zardari came to address the joint parliament session and went back from the lift which links the parliament house with presidency from back side of the Parliament.

No doubt, there were foreign diplomats, services chiefs, four provincial governors and chief ministers besides the federal ministers among the invitees but undue panic among the administration spoke a lot about their incompetence to handle such occasions.

The strong police contingents supported by plainclothes made access to the parliament house from various points very difficult.

The traffic for embassy road crossing, Radio Pakistan, State Bank of Pakistan and parliament lodges was diverted to different routes which created a mess.

Most serious traffic jams were witnessed at the square linking prime minister’s secretariat, radio Pakistan etc. on Constitution Avenue where visitors and the administration officials were seen involved in a series of squabbles.

Long queues were seen on the front gate of the Parliament House as the security personnel were allowing every vehicle after thorough checking.

Inside the parliament, it was free for all as the private television channels cameramen and reporters roamed around the building to catch maximum number of lawmakers and dignitaries to take their views about the president’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament.