Opposition parties announce boycott of parliament's joint session

ISLAMABAD: Members of opposition parties on Monday announced that they will boycott the joint session of parliament where President Mamnoon Hussain will give a speech for the first time, Express News reported. During a meeting of members of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan National Party Awami and Awami National Party (ANP) – headed by Senator Aitzaz Ahsan – it was unanimously decided that they will be not be attending the joint session. Security was beefed up in the Red Zone to avoid any untoward situation and apart from members of the National Assembly and the Senate, only those people with special invitation will be allowed to enter the Parliament. The president’s speech is to be delivered in Urdu and will discuss his government’s performance over the last year while outlining policy guidelines for the subsequent year, according to a PML-N member. The speech is mandatory under Article 6 of the Constitution. President Hussain’s predecessor Asif Ali Zardari addressed the joint session of parliament a record six times during his tenure, while his predecessor General (retired) Pervez Musharraf made the address once during his tenure of eight years and 10 months. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, members of the federal cabinet and parliament, chief ministers, governors and the prime minister of Azad Kashmir as well as the chiefs of the three armed forces including Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will attend the joint session of the parliament. Ambassadors, diplomats, members of civil society and important personalities from different segments of life will also attend the session. Opposition parties Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Q and others plan to stage a protest during the president’s address, but this will be on a limited scale, insiders say.