Will President Announce Some Relief For The Nation In His Address? Or Will Begin His Speech From Bainazir To BaNazir

President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to a joint session of parliament on Tuesday (tomorrow) will mark the advent of the fourth parliamentary year of the present legislature.
In the address, which is a constitutional requirement, the president will highlight the achievements of the PPP-led coalition during the previous year and unveil the agenda for the next. The address is taking place at a time when many political parties are angry because of what they call the government hoodwinking the nation by facilitating the release of CIA operative Raymond Davis, making a mockery of the judicial system.
The situation this time is also qualitatively different because the PPP legislators gave the Punjab government a tough time during the first few days of the current session of the provincial legislature by resorting to pandemonium because of the chief minister’s support to the PML-Q dissidents, who have declared their support for the PML-N.
It is now the PML-N’s turn to ‘retaliate’ and settle scores with the federal government.
The prime minister is already aware of the likely situation the president may have to face. To ward off any untoward eventuality, he talked to Opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday and requested him not to stage any protest during the president’s address. He was not given the required assurance.
The PML-Q decided at a meeting in Lahore on Sunday to boycott the joint session. The party leaders are trying to establish contacts with other parties having representation in the bicameral legislature with a view to persuading them to follow suit. However, for the time being it’s not clear which party will adopt what strategy on the day.
Observers say that boycott in the present situation will amount to facilitating the president to speak uninterrupted. Maybe, the ruling coalition will want all opponents to stay away from the house till the president completes the ritual.
In case the president is heckled or opposition MPs shout slogans, this will be the first time that he will be facing what some past presidents had to face at the hands of then opponents.