President Asif Ali Zardari Friday, on the advice of the Prime Minister, summoned National Assembly session on March 14 while joint session of the parliament to be held on March 17, 2012.
President's Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said that the summoning of the session of the National Assembly has been rescheduled in view of fourth Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Asia Regional Conference being held on 12-16 March 2012 at Karachi and it would not be possible for many parliamentarians including the Speaker National Assembly to attend the session that was earlier summoned on 12th March 2012.
As far as joint session is concerned, it would be fifth address of the President to joint sitting of the parliament. No President in the parliamentary history of Pakistan has been given the honour to address the joint sitting for fifth consecutive year. Presidential address to the joint sitting at the advent of new parliamentary year is a constitutional obligation.
The president in his address would highlight the performance of the government relating to economy, foreign policy, energy crises, terrorism, national security, price hike, governance and other development projects, etc. The President has also summoned the first session for the 10th parliamentary year of the Senate on 12th March, 2012 to transact its business of oath-taking of the newly-elected members and the election of the chairman and deputy chairman.
The tenure of the chairman and deputy chairman is three years. They are elected following every three parliamentary years after Senate elections. According to sources, issues including law and order situation of Balochistan, Nato supply, petroleum prices and price hike would be discussed in the forthcoming NA session.