Long on claims, short on promises

Fifth parliamentary address: Zardari boasts of PPP's achievements

President Asif Ali Zardari stands in respect of the National Anthem during his fifth parliamentary address on Saturday. PHOTO: INP

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari made history on Saturday when he delivered the fifth consecutive address to a joint session of Parliament. Zardari is the first president of Pakistan to deliver a fifth address in accordance with clause 3 of Article 56 in the Constitution.

The president’s speech was disrupted amid rising chants by opposition parties in the parliament, making it difficult for the president to continue with his speech.

However, the opposition later walked out of the parliament in protest, restoring decorum of the session.

President Zardari’s speech mainly revolved around what the government has been able to achieve during the past four years in power.

I wonder which Pakistan Zardari was talking about: Chaudhry Nisar

Opposition leader expresses surprise over president's parliamentary address where he boasted about PPP's achievements. PHOTO: ONLINE/ FILE

ISLAMABAD: “I wonder which Pakistan [President Asif Ali] Zardari was talking about,” remarked Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan expressing his ‘utter surprise’ over the president’s fifth parliamentary address on Saturday.

“The Pakistan, that we live in, is in a state of misery,” Nisar told the media. He questioned how the president could deliver such a confident speech after “what he has done” to the country.

“I was astounded at Zardari’s speech.”

For nine years, a dictator kept paralysing the nation at gun point and then whatever was left was fulfilled by Zardari, he added.

Nisar, in a questioning tone, further asked “Zardari said that government did a lot for Balochistan. What have they done?”

The opposition tried disrupting the president’s speech in the parliament by chanting slogans against him and later walked out in protest. The opposition leaders had gone into Nisar’s chamber.