ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned a joint session of Parliament on March 2, at the start of the new parliamentary year.

A notification issued by the National Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday said that in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 54 read with clause (3) of Article 56 of the Constitution, the president has summoned both Houses of Parliament to assemble together at the Parliament House in Islamabad on March 2 (Monday) at 10:30am.

Earlier, a post on the Presidency’s X account stated that he had approved the summary for convening the session.

The post also said that the session would be convened at 3pm on March 2. Later, the National Assembly Secretariat issued its notification, in which the time was revised to 10:30am.

The session is being convened in continuation of the practice of a joint sitting behind held at the start of every parliamentary year.

According to Article 56 of the Constitution, the president addresses both Houses of parliament at the start of the first session of each parliamentary year.

This will be President Zardari’s ninth address to a joint session of Parliament in the capacity of a president.

During his address, he is expected to outline national priorities, democratic stability, constitutional supremacy and sustainable economic development.

His speech is also expected to cover the regional and global situation, terrorism and the resolve and commitment to eradicate it.

It is also expected that President Zardari could be ‘harsh’ towards the government, as in the recent past he has criticised some of its policies and complained that it did not take ruling allies, including the PPP, on board in the decision-making process.

One reflection of this stance was seen when the president recently returned some important government bills without his consent, despite them having been passed by both Houses of Parliament.