Zardari invites all political parties for national dialogue

President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday the government would not bow before terrorists and reiterated that all political parties would be taken on board over national and economic issues of the country.Addressing the joint sitting of parliament for the fourth consecutive year, the

president called for building consensus on resolving issues like energy shortage, circular debt, taxation reforms, restructuring of public sector entities and documentation of the economy.
“I invite all political parties for a national dialogue; sooner rather than later,” he said as he read out a quote from the last book of Benazir Bhutto, “It is time for new ideas. It is time for creativity. It is time for bold commitment. It is time for reconciliation.”
The president said, “We will not permit anyone to usurp the powers that rightly belong to parliament.” “It showed that if all political parties rise above politicking, they could deliver. Let us strive to keep our egos aside. Let political forces stop challenging each other merely for point scoring. It only weakens democracy in the long run,” he said referring to the restoration of the constitution.The government, the president said, believed that all state organs should work within their parameters as laid down in the constitution. “We will fight terrorists until their elimination. We will not back down,” he averred.
Zardari pronounced that the country could not allow terror activities on its soil or against any other country.
He expressed the resolve for a modern and moderate Pakistan – the Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The president warned that the fight against terrorism might be long and bitter. He said the government had no option but to fight and win the ongoing war against terrorism.
Zardari said the government would take all adequate measures to provide full security in Karachi and take action against all criminal elements there.

The president informed the parliamentarians that reforms in FATA and amendments to the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) had been finalised, adding that recently, major political parties had joined hands to endorse the reforms and demanded their immediate implementation.
Zardari also said the UN commission had finalised its inquiry into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and submitted its report, adding that a new challan had also been submitted before a trial court.
“The family of Benazir Bhutto and the Pakistan People’s Party do not believe in revenge,” the president said.He said while the individuals involved would certainly not escape punishment, “we aim at defeating the mindset that was behind her assassination”. The president also stressed for settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions while respecting the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. Zardari condemned the murders of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer and Federal Minister for Minorities and Religious Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti. “The government will avenge the martyrdom of these heroes,” President Zardari resolved.