President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday addressed a joint sitting of Parliament amid a ruckus by members of the opposition, saying that Pakistan would not “allow any entity, domestic or foreign to use neighboring territory to destabilize our peace”.
This was his ninth address to a joint session of Parliament in his capacity as president. His address was punctuated with cries from the opposition, who chanted, “Go, Zardari, go”.
President Zardari began his address by saying that it was his “singular privilege” to address the house for the ninth time at the beginning of the new parliamentary year.
“Each such address is a reminder of the continuity of the democratic system and the responsibility we carry as representatives of the people of Pakistan,” he said.
“The past year has reminded us that the strength of our republic lies in its Constitution,” he said.
“As we gather here today, we stand on the foundation laid by those who shaped our national journey,” he said. He said that the founder of the nation, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, had envisioned a “democratic state rooted in constitutionalism and the rule of law.
“The last time I was president, I unilaterally returned the powers given to the presidency back to the House of Parliament as envisioned in the 1973 Constitution, through the 18th Amendment,” he said.
“Today, the presidency stands as a symbol of unity… a bridge between federating units and a guardian of constitutional law,” he said.
He further said that the past ten months had tested the nation in “profound and complex ways”. He said that when the country’s sovereignty was challenged, Pakistan responded with “strategic restraint and firm resolve”.
He said that confronted with “unprovoked attacks on both our borders one after the other”, the armed forces responded with professionalism and discipline.
Talking about Marka-i-Haq, he said that they turned India’s attack on the motherland into a strategic victory.
“On the western border, when the Taliban regime ramped up a long line of attacks, on the night of Feb 26, our security forces acted decisively,” he said.
“The political leadership stood united; the people stood resolute,” he said. He expressed gratitude to the armed forces for defending the country’s border.
“It is because of their vigilance, bravery and service that we are sitting here secure in our workplace and homes,” he said. He said that the sacrifices of the country’s armed forces and law enforcement agencies in both conflicts could not be reduced to mere numbers.
“We only see their actions on the media with pride. We don’t really see their blood and sweat and tears that go into their training and service. Each operation reflects planning, discipline and restraint. Each martyr represents a family that has borne the ultimate [sacrifice] for Pakistan’s stability,” he said.
He said that 2025 marked a turning point for Pakistan, defined by the resounding military victory in Marka-i-Haq.
He also talked about occupied Kashmir, saying that nobody in South Asia would be free or safe until the Kashmiris won their freedom. He said that India’s leaders had said they were preparing for another war.
“As a life-long advocate for peace, I would not recommend it. At the same time, I will also say that any aggressor should prepare for another humiliating defeat; make no mistake, we are ready for you. Move away from warfare to meaningful negotiation. That is the only path for regional security,” he said.
“Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and understands the weight of that responsibility. At the same time, we are a state that defends itself when required. Our conduct reflects maturity, confidence and clarity of purpose,” he said.
He said that last week, when India started to amplify proxy operations via Afghanistan, the Taliban regime saw what Pakistan can do when pushed past the red line.
“Until that week, we had tried every possible form of diplomacy to prevent an outbreak of military response to terrorist incursions from Afghanistan,” he said.
He said that Article 51 of the United Nations charter gave Pakistan the right to defend its sovereignty. He said that Pakistan let both, India and Afghanistan, see a “fraction of our capabilities”.
He said that over the last three years, the country’s armed forces and law enforcement agencies had undertaken intelligence-based operations against Indian-sponsored terrorists.
“This is not a counterterrorism campaign, the military is fighting alone. The entire nation stands united with its armed forces against cross-border terrorism,” he said.
“Our actions spelled out our limits for our tolerance for attacks from Afghanistan, particularly by Indian-sponsored TTP and BLA and their affiliates. Let me be clear: the soil of Pakistan is sacred. We will not allow any entity — domestic or foreign — to use neighboring territory to destabilize our peace,” he said.
He highlighted a recent report by the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring team, saying that it described terrorist groups in Afghanistan as an extra-regional threat.
“This report warns that any other country could fall victim to another catastrophic attack if the issue is ignored. However, it is a sad fact that despite multiple diplomatic engagements by Pakistan and our friendly brother countries, the Afghan de facto regime continues to provide safe sanctuaries to a variety of terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda, BLA and TTP,” he said.
“All promises they made in Doha, not to allow these terror groups to operate from Afghan soil, have been conveniently forgotten,” he said.
The president said that the Afghan Taliban regime needed to choose to dismantle terrorist groups.
“On our end, we have never treated the Afghan people as anything but kith and kin. We have never walked away from dialogue. The Afghan people need a break from endless wars. Don’t take away their choice for a future of prosperity connected to peace. I would urge them to stop being used by another country as a battlefield for their ambitions,” he said.
Talking about the situation in the Middle East, he said Pakistan was deeply concerned at recent developments, saying the country had always sought to prevent unilateral attacks on any country.
“In this spirit, we strongly condemn the war being waged on Iran while negotiations were under way. We have reaffirmed our support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our brotherly nation,” he said.
At the same time, the president also condemned the attacks launched by Iran on brotherly nations in the Gulf region.
“The sooner stability returns to the region, the sooner the world can go back to the business of rebuilding lives and fractured trust. I urge the need to exercise maximum restraint, to uphold international law, and to respect the territorial integrity of all brotherly nations. To save the region from a deepening crisis, we urge negotiated solutions that choose peace and restraint,” he said.
At one point, the president said, “Sustainable regional peace requires dialogue and respect for international law. Water security has emerged as a strategic concern.”
He said that India’s attempts to manipulate river flows and engage in “water aggression” required careful, long-term planning.
“India’s illegal actions that place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance is plain and simple hydro-terrorism — a weaponisation of vital water flows to exert political leverage. This blatant disregard for international and humanitarian law not only jeopardizes Pakistan’s agricultural economy but signals a dangerous escalation in India’s strategy to destabilize the region,” he said.
“Rivers symbolize life. International law does not permit the unilateral blockage of water. This is not merely a bilateral issue. The stability of the region also depends on a web of trans-boundary water-sharing practices. If one treaty is flouted, many others across other borders may also suffer the same fate. We will defend our water rights with unity, resolve, strength and legal clarity,” he said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present for the president’s address. Further, the president’s son, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and daughter, MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, were also present.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Governor Haider Ali, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori were also in attendance, in addition to National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
More to follow
