Will Alvi address parliament joint sitting?

ISLAMABAD: With the commencement of the new parliamentary year in August, the presidential address to the joint sitting of two houses of parliament is due as per constitutional requirement. However, the president’s reluctance to read out government provided text has created a complex situation.

Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf has hinted at convening the joint sitting in the first week of October but the President’s House has denied of receiving any summary/request from the government for summoning of the session till Friday evening.

The government has already held the NA session on August 14 without mandatory presidential address to the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament. The constitutional experts opined the first session of the parliamentary year was contrary to the constitutional provision of Article 226, Clause 3.

The Article 226, Clause 3 reads: “At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the National Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year the president shall address both houses assembled together and inform the Majlis-e-Shura (Parliament) of the causes of its summons.”

Interestingly, no autocrat ruler/military dictator in past, including General retired Pervez Musharraf and General Zia, respected the provision of the constitution. Well-placed parliamentary sources told The News that the government defied the Constitution by holding session of the lower house in wee hours of August 14 without holding joint sitting duly addressed by the President.

Ironically, the incumbent President wasn’t involved in any major official function hosted by the government on the occasion. The sources pointed out that President Arif Alvi didn’t give any assurance to read out the government’s provided text in case of his address to the joint sitting. By belonging to PTI, it would be difficult for him to highlight achievements of the sitting government and miss any positive reference about former prime minister Imran Khan and his party. Whenever, General Zia addressed the joint sitting of the parliament, he didn’t bother to follow the provisions of the constitution. Similarly, General Pervez Musharraf also opted to express his own misplaced views in his address to the joint sitting and showed fists to the opposition members.

As per tradition, the text of the presidential address contains progress reports submitted by ministries and departments, highlighting the performance of the government in outgoing year and plans of the government for upcoming year. The President is not supposed to ignore the government’s text.

The sources said that President Alvi was approached yet again by the government. He has given his consent halfheartedly to address the joint sitting only to fulfill a formality without any concrete message. In case, an ultimate understanding doesn’t take place, the Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani or Speaker NA Raja Pervez Ashraf could be asked to address the joint sitting in a bid to fulfil the constitutional obligation as an acting President.