New Pakistani president makes first parliamentary address

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari outlined his vision for Pakistan in his first address to a joint sitting of parliament on Saturday.

"My dream is to free this great country from the shackles of poverty, hunger, terrorism and disunity," Zardari said.

"I have been given this singular honour and privilege in the name of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and I am humbled to be standing here in front of the seat of democratic power in Pakistan," he added.

"On this important day our thoughts go to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the first woman prime minister of the Muslim world and the twice-elected prime minister of Pakistan whose personal sacrifice and courage has made democracy possible. We are here, this parliament is here because of the historic choices she made. It is indeed her day. I wish she was addressing the parliament today and not me."

Zardari said he had reached the pinnacle after "crossing a river of blood and tears."

Prisoner of conscience

He said he had been a prisoner of conscience but would never let that make him a prisoner of history. "This means that while I will learn from history, I will never allow my decisions to be dictated by the politics of vengeance and bitter memories."

The president recalled that the Pakistan Peoples Party government had tendered an apology to the people of insurgency-plagued Balochistan for injustices in the past.

He also mentioned release from captivity of former Balochistan chief minister Akhtar Mengal by the government and payment of billions of rupees to the province.

The president also announced that the North West Frontier Province would be renamed as "Paktunkhwa" in line with the demand of the Pashtu-speaking community.

Zardari said successive blows had weakened the federation, which needed to be strengthened. For this, the bitterness of the past must give way to reconciliation and harmony.

"I believe that the 1973 constitution is the only consensus document that can fashion such a social contract," he said, asking the government to start consensus building process on provincial autonomy and the allocation of resources through a new formula.

Zardari reiterated the government's resolve to "root out terrorism and extremism wherever and whenever they may rear their ugly heads."

He underlined the need for reforming tribal areas and bringing them into the mainstream of national life.

The president made no direct reference to the demand for the restoration of the deposed judges that led to withdrawal of former premier Nawaz Sharif's PML-N from the ruling coalition.

He however said the government believed in the independence of the judiciary and "all matters concerning the judiciary shall be resolved in accordance with the constitution and law."

Critical juncture

Zardari said Pakistan was at a "critical security juncture today" and in order to meet the threat from extremist and terrorist elements in the tribal areas the government had devised a comprehensive strategy. He said there were three prongs of this strategy - first, to make peace with those willing to keep the peace and renounce violence; second, to invest in the development and social uplift of the local people and third, to use force only as a last resort.

The president said the government would hold a national security briefing for an in-camera joint session of Parliament.

"Let everyone have an opportunity to make an informed judgment about the risks to our beloved country and about how we should move forward with responsibility and clarity of vision."

The president said Pakistan would not allow the use of its soil for carrying out terrorist activities against any foreign country.

At the same time "we will not tolerate the violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity by any power in the name of combating terrorism," he said.

He said the immediate and "most urgent task" of the government was to provide food security to the common man burdened with the rising prices of food items.

Zardari said to improve the macro-economic fundamentals subsidies on oil and gas have been removed and the government had to swallow "this bitter pill" to correct the balance of payments.

"I see a new beginning for our economy, marked by a programme of restoring investors' confidence, resumption of foreign investment, gradual build-up of reserves, exchange rate stability and, above all, revival of sustainable growth."

About the acute energy crisis in Pakistan he said the government was taking immediate short and medium term measures.