President Asif Ali Zardari decided to address the joint session of Parliament after Muharram and called upon the government to take appropriate steps in this regard which Pakistan Muslim League (N) smelled as an indicator of some new game plan.
In a statement, Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said the time and date of address to the joint session after Muharram will be announced separately by the government.
He said that under Article 56(1) of the Constitution the President may address either House or both Houses assembled together and may for that purpose require the attendance of the members. It also said that the President called upon the Party workers to show patience, strictly observe democratic norms and refuse to be provoked into any aggression. "Aggression is the mindset of the weak and not the strong", he quoted the President as saying. Democracy calls for tolerance, patience and steadfastness as demonstrated by Aung San Suu Kyi in standing up to mountains of hardship for the cause, the president added.
In response to announcement made by Presidency, Opposition Leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said his party would decide soon after 10 Muharram either to boycott the joint session of parliament or to attend the session.
He alleged that his party had not taken into confidence on the agenda of President's speech to joint session. The session should have been called at earlier stage in order to take parliament and nation into confidence on various national issues. It was too late to serve any purpose, he opined.
Nisar further suggested if government had some issues, it should file plea in Supreme Court of Pakistan. He recalled that government must act on the recommendations approved by recently held All Parties Conference (APC) and joint session of parliament instead of calling another joint session. Nisar criticised the government's softness on subject of Nato. He said his party had not been taken over suspension of supply to Nato in the past. In recent incident, Nisar warned the government not to repeat same as PML(N) would not allow restoring supply to Nato.