Zardari vows to uphold supremacy of Constitution, Parliament

ISLAMABAD, March 22, 2011 (PPI): President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday vowed to uphold supremacy of the Constitution and the Parliament and not to permit anyone usurp powers of the Parliament.

Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament for the fourth consecutive year, the President categorically stated “We will not permit any one to usurp the powers that rightly belong to the Parliament.”

President Zardari, in a wide-ranging address that covered all important aspects of governance and achievements since the PPP-led coalition government came into power, said his government believed that all state organs should work within their parameters, as laid down in the Constitution.

Referring to the restoration of Constitution, he said it showed that if all political parties rise above politicking, they can deliver. “Let us strive to keep our egos aside. Let political forces stop challenging each other, merely for political point-scoring. It only weakens democracy in the long run,” the President said.

He said it was the task of the leadership to unite; not divide. “We believe in reconciliation, and not confrontation.”

President Asif Zardari commended Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani for pursuing the policy of reconciliation and consensus, given by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. “We have achieved consensus on constitutional reforms,” the President said and called for building consensus on resolving issues like energy shortage, circular debt, taxation reforms, restructuring of public sector entities and documentation of the economy.

President Asif Ali Zardari in his address, interspersed with applause, congratulated the members of Parliament, and all the political parties, both in the government and in the opposition, for the unanimous passage of the 18th and 19th Constitutional Amendments.

He said that the restoration of the Constitution, given by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, had been a dream of the people.

“We made the dream a reality. Many in our history have talked change. But we have not merely talked; we accomplished change.”

He said that returning power from dictators to the people was at the core of promises made with them and that “rarely in history has a leader abdicated power by his own free will.”

“My head bows in gratitude before Allah, for giving me the strength, to give up powers that had been usurped by dictators. It is now our great responsibility to use the powers wisely,” he said.

Moreover, he condemned the assassinations of Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti and said “we will avenge the martyrs by defeating the mindset” behind these actions.

Meanwhile, President Zardari started his address with a strong condemnation, on behalf of the people of Pakistan and on his own, for the deliberate desecration of the Holy Quran by a fanatic in Florida.

“We condemn this act in the strongest possible words. It is a serious setback, to the efforts at promoting harmony among civilized communities throughout the world.”

President Zardari called upon the House to adopt a resolution urging the United Nations to address this issue for the sake of harmony and peace in the world.

The President shared achievements during the past years and the hopes and aspirations for the future.

Besides, President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated the parliamentarians for the unanimous passage of the 18th and 19th Constitutional Amendments for transferring the powers from the President to the Parliament. Addressing the joint session of the Parliament here, the President said the restoration of the Constitution, given by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was the dream of the people and it had been made reality by this government.

“I wish to congratulate each and every member of the Parliament, and all the political parties ---those in the government and in the opposition--- for the unanimous passage of the 18th and 19th Constitutional Amendments,” said the President. He said,” We made the dream of restoration of the Constitution a reality.”

The President said, “Many in the history have talked about changes but we have not merely talked; we accomplished change.”

He said returning power from dictators to the people was the core of the promise made by Pakistan People’s Party to the people.

Zardari said, “Rarely in history has a leader abdicated power by his own free will.”

He said, “My head bows in gratitude before Allah, for giving me the strength, to give up powers that had been usurped by dictators.”

The President said, “It is now our great responsibility, to use the powers wisely.”