President Asif Ali Zardari has now summoned a joint sitting of both houses of parliament on April 18. The president convened the joint session of parliament under Articles 54(1) and 56(3) of the Constitution. Under Article 56(3) of the Constitution, the president shall address a joint session of parliament at the commencement of the parliamentary year after general elections. He would address the joint session in pursuance of Article 56 (3) of the Constitution which says, “At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the National Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses assembled together and inform the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of the causes of its summons.” It is pertinent to mention here that the previous joint session of Parliament was summoned on March 9 for the presidential elections with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in chair.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan