ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari will outline the federal government’s performance in his address to the joint session of parliament on Monday, according to an official press release.
The address came at a time when differences started becoming apparent between PML-N and Mr Zardari’s party, PPP.
The two parties are allies in the ruling coalition at the Centre. While the PPP has no ministers in the federal cabinet, its votes are integral to the survival of the ruling coalition.
Recently, several PPP leaders, including the chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, have expressed displeasure over what they called the “indifferent attitude” of the PML-N with its ally.
PPP leaders also complained of being “sidelined” in Punjab, where the PML-N is in power.
Recently, the PPP-led Sindh government has also opposed the Centre’s move to carve out new canals from the Indus river to irrigate barren land in Punjab’s Cholistan area.
The Sindh government has claimed that the new canals would reduce the province’s share of water from the biggest river in the country.
The president has called the joint sitting — attended by MNAs and Senate — at 3pm on Monday.
A source in the parliament house told Dawn that although the president will mainly discuss governance issues, he is also expected to highlight some weaknesses of the incumbent government.
As per Article 56 of the Consitution, the president addresses both houses of parliament at the start of the first session of each parliamentary year. The NA Secretariat has made strict security measures for the joint session.
Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2025