Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday addressed the joint session of Parliament.
The president stressed on PTI’s manifesto of eradicating corruption, minimising costs and practising austerity.
The president hoped that the upcoming days would be better for Pakistan. “I am grateful to have the biggest constitutional designation. I will perform to the best of my abilities. I pray to Allah for strength and hope fellow parliamentarians will support me.”
He emphasized that in Naya Pakistan there was a need to end unnecessary protocol. He added that special attention needed to be paid to the country’s debt to GDP ratio. “We need to adopt simplicity to succeed.”
Members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) created a ruckus on the floor and exited the assembly hall during Alvi’s address.
The joint session was the first formal sitting of the National Assembly after election and swearing-in of the new prime minister, speaker and the deputy speaker.
Earlier, Alvi was scheduled to address the joint session of the Parliament on September 13 but the sitting was postponed till Monday on the request of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) following the death of former first lady, Kulsoom Nawaz.
The PML-N had approached senior government functionaries and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qasier with the request to postpone the joint session till Monday as the party leaders and MPs were unable to attend the sitting due to their engagements in Raiwind, Lahore, in connection with the funeral ceremony of the former first lady.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, members of the federal cabinet and Parliament , chief ministers, governors, ambassadors, diplomats, members of civil society and important personalities from different walks of life attended the joint session. Special passes were issued on this occasion.
Tight security measures have been put in place around the parliament house whereas main entry and exit points of the federal capital would be strictly monitored throughout the day.