Islamabad:
President Asif Ali Zardari plans to address Pakistan's parliament amid speculation that he would clarify certain issues. President Zardari announced on Sunday that he would address a joint session of both houses of parliament even as he called on workers of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to not be "provoked into any aggression" in the face of challenges confronting the government.
An official statement has confirmed that Zardari intended to speak to the joint session of parliament after Moharram but did not give details of what the address will focus on.
It is expected that the President will speak on the controversial secret memo delivered to the US military by Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz fearing an army coup and the recent cross-border NATO attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Zardari, who is also co-chairman of PPP and supreme commander of the armed forces, has also called on party workers to "show patience, strictly observe democratic norms and refuse to be provoked into any aggression", presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.
"Aggression is the mindset of the weak and not the strong," Zardari said. "Democracy calls for tolerance, patience and steadfastness as demonstrated by Aung San Suu Ki in standing up to mountains of hardship for the cause." The time and date of Zardari's address to the joint session of parliament will be announced by the government, Babar said.
The PPP-led government has been facing strong criticism from the opposition parties for its handling of the fallout of the NATO attack and the "Memogate" scandal.
An official statement has confirmed that Zardari intended to speak to the joint session of parliament after Moharram but did not give details of what the address will focus on.
It is expected that the President will speak on the controversial secret memo delivered to the US military by Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz fearing an army coup and the recent cross-border NATO attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Zardari, who is also co-chairman of PPP and supreme commander of the armed forces, has also called on party workers to "show patience, strictly observe democratic norms and refuse to be provoked into any aggression", presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.
"Aggression is the mindset of the weak and not the strong," Zardari said. "Democracy calls for tolerance, patience and steadfastness as demonstrated by Aung San Suu Ki in standing up to mountains of hardship for the cause." The time and date of Zardari's address to the joint session of parliament will be announced by the government, Babar said.
The PPP-led government has been facing strong criticism from the opposition parties for its handling of the fallout of the NATO attack and the "Memogate" scandal.
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