Amidst noisy scenes, legislators belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other opposition parties staged a walkout to protest against the presidential address and what they said a dismal performance of the government during the last four years.
As decided earlier in its parliamentary party meeting to register a strong protest on the occasion of President Asif Ali Zardari's fifth presidential address to the joint-sitting, the PML-N's legislators began their protest by shouting slogans such as "Loot Mar Band Karo, Quam Ka Paisa Wapis Karo" and "Jhoot Bolna Band Kero" as soon as the President reached the rostrum to deliver his address.
All the opposition parties suddenly left the House after they shouted vociferous slogans for some time, making President's speech barely audible. A Pakistan People's Party (PPP) legislator from Balochistan Syed Nasir Ali Shah also joined the PML-N-led walkout along with lawmakers of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) and National Party (NP).
Later, talking to newsmen in front of the Parliament House, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan vehemently criticised President Asif Ali Zardari for making 'false claims' about the performance of his party-led coalition government.
Nisar said that an early election was the need of the hour. He added that his party take further measures to forge unity in the ranks of opposition parties to exert pressure on government to announce an early general election in the country. "We need to step up pressure on government for an early election," he said, adding that the country could not afford the incumbent ruling alliance even for a single more day. The President, according to him, "talked about a Pakistan that does not exist".
Chaudhry Nisar said President Zardari was not alone in damaging the country, but his allies were also responsible for the present poor state of affairs in the country. "The country is faced with serious problems and the President was praising achievements of his government," he added. He said it was a pleasant development that the entire opposition had become united because of highly dismal performance of the present government.
He also severely criticised the government for its highly questionable attitude towards an independent judiciary. PML-N central secretary information Senator Mushahidullah said it seemed that Zardari's address was by a head of a party.
Referring to the President's praise for Prime Minister Gilani in his speech, he questioned whether he had lauded him (the Prime Minister) for defying the judiciary. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central deputy secretary information Dr Israr Shah said President did not even mention a single word about Kashmir. He said all the public sector organisations were on verge of collapse.