DOCUMENT No.18 

Text Of President’s Address To Parliament

ISLAMABAD: Following is the unofficial text of the address delivered by President General Pervez Musharraf to the joint session of the Parliament on Saturday:
“Chairman Senate Mr Muhammadmian Soomro, Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain, Honourable Members of the Parliament,

Assaalam-o-Alaykum!
First of all, I thank Allah Almighty that all pledges made to the nation including the establishment of real democracy have been fulfilled. It is a matter of pride for me that I am addressing today the elected representatives. I am thankful to the elected representatives and the entire nation for the trust they have reposed in me on behalf of the people.

On this occasion, I am thankful to all members of the Senate, the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies for their condemnation of the December 25 suicide attacks on me.

Here, I would like to make a mention of two dreams of Allama Iqbal.
His first dream was the establishment of a separate and independent state for the Muslims of South Asia. His second dream was to turn this state into a model real Islamic welfare state for the world.

The first dream of Allama Iqbal was translated into reality by Quaid-e-Azam in the form of establishment of Pakistan. But, regrettably, on the one hand we could not know the real spirit of Islam and on the other hand, our history of more than fifty years and our performance has not been the one that can be presented as a success before the Quaid-e-Azam.

What blessing has not been gifted to our country? What is required for the progress of a country and prosperity of its people? First of all a country should be self-sufficient in meeting its food requirements. Thankfully, we have a fertile land and an irrigation system that makes us self-sufficient in food.

The second requirement is water. Nature has blessed us with six large rivers and countless small watercourses as well. The third factor is self-sufficiency in energy.
Thanks to Allah Almighty that we have water, coal, gas and nuclear energy. These can produce inexpensive energy much more than our requirements. Besides, natural resources are a requirement. Thankfully, our country has been blessed with abundant natural resources, most of which are yet to be explored.

In addition to all these factors, we have a hardworking and intelligent manpower. Just think as to how many countries of the world have been endowed with so many blessings. I think such countries can be counted on fingertips.

The question arises as what weakness has held us back from making full use of our resources and abilities for the progress of our country and prosperity of our people? In my view the biggest reason for this has been corruption and nepotism. These two are eating us away like termite.

Due to this reason, the governments in the past failed. No government department or corporation could deliver sufficiently. If national institutions do not function, the government cannot deliver. How can the country progress then? Let’s all of us pledge collectively that we shall serve Pakistan and its people honestly and with good intentions so that Pakistan enjoys prosperity and its people may enjoy real well-being. Now, let’s review the current scenario facing the country. Today, Pakistan is at crossroads, where, if we take right decisions, we will move forward on the path of progress and if wrong decisions are made, God forbidden, the country will have to face negative consequences.

Today, Pakistan is facing four dangerous perceptions. Firstly, we are being held responsible for giving rise to terrorism in Afghanistan from our tribal areas. Secondly, we are being alleged for terrorism on Line of Control in Kashmir.

Thirdly, we are also being alleged for nuclear proliferation. Fourthly, our society is being perceived as intolerant and pro-extremism.

Apart from these negative perceptions, the Muslim Ummah, of which Pakistan is an important member, is faced with difficulties and chaos and Islam is being misperceived as pro-extremism.

Now the question is how to save the country and the Muslim Ummah of this chaos and difficult situation? And what role Pakistan can play in this regard?
We will have to take far reaching and important decisions otherwise the coming generations will pay a very heavy price for our indifference and Allah Almighty will never forgive us.

We have to bring Pakistan out of this negative image and direct the country on to the path of progress and prosperity. Apart from this we will also have to play our role for the welfare of the Muslim Ummah.

First of all, how should we get rid of this negative image? We will have to launch a massive operation against those foreign elements in our border areas, which can be a cause of terrorism in our country and Afghanistan.

The only way to tackle the allegations against us with reference to Kashmir is a peaceful solution of Kashmir and to find its just solution. The progress in this regard has to be carried forward with sincerity towards a solution.

Our nuclear and missile power is for Pakistan’s defence and to strengthen it is in our interest. We have to assure the world that we are a responsible nation and will not allow proliferation of nuclear weapons.The curse of extremism, by a handful of persons, is damaging the country internally. It is ain two forms. On the one hand there are ultra modern westernised people who wish to end the religious system in the country. The others are those hardliners who interpret Islam in a wrong way and want to impose their views on all.

The reality is that the majority of the people are moderates who totally reject extremism.
I appeal to you and the people of Pakistan to wage a ‘jihad’ against extremism, so that Pakistan can be turned into a proper Islamic welfare state in accordance with the spirit of Islam, and the wishes of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.

We all have to ensure this that those individuals or groups who were involved in sectarianism and terrorism are completely eradicated from Pakistan.

I have presented before you a concept of how to cope with the threats and crisis facing Pakistan, but I believe that it all will depend on the strength of Pakistan’s defence and economy.

Here I would like to state that Al-hamdolilah our defence is strong. We are a nuclear and a missile power. We, not only have to preserve this capability, but also have to strengthen it. For Pakistan’s stability and survival we cannot overlook this important asset.
We are proud of our armed forces, because they have played an important role in country’s defence, growth and progress and will continue to do so.

Some elements try to bring a bad name to the army to achieve their nefarious designs. But they do not understand that maligning of national institutions is in fact maligning of the country. Economic progress is the basis of prosperity. With Allah’s blessings our economy has strengthened. In the economic field all macro indicators are positive and to further improve these we will have to keep the budget deficit in control.
The Balance of Payments Surplus, of less than 4 percent, has to be maintained. Foreign borrowing has to be further reduced so that the return of the loans also declines.
Exports, foreign exchange reserves, remittances from Pakistanis abroad and revenue have to be further increased. I have this realisation that the benefit of these indicators must reach the common man, so that poverty is reduced. The question is where is the poverty? and how to lessen it? Poverty is in our rural areas and to lessen it we have to improve agriculture, system of irrigation, canals and dams.

We have to undertake projects of new roads, railways and seaports so as to bring about a change in the lives of poor people. To fight poverty in the urban areas and to end unemployment, we have to bring in more investment so as to open new avenues of employment. In the years to come, we have to decrease the cost of electricity so that the people and the industry benefit from it. We have to concentrate on alternate energy sources, such as coal, hydel, natural gas and nuclear energy to lessen cost of electricity and bring prosperity to our country.

Improvement in our human resources is essential for economic development in future. No country can make progress unless its people are healthy and educated. As such, we will have to utilise more of our resources in the sectors of education and health.
A country also cannot develop in true spirit unless it affords opportunities on equal footing to women, 50 percent of its population, and focuses its attention on ameliorating their lot.

We will have to provide more opportunities to women in the fields of health, education and participation in the country’s political process. Otherwise the future of our coming generations will not improve.

The minorities also constitute an important segment of our country. They are as patriotic as any other Pakistani and they have rendered distinguished services for our country. They should enjoy the same rights in Pakistan as granted to any other citizen. We should deal with them large-heartedly and should take them along.

A durable democratic polity is inevitable for the continuity of progress and stability of Pakistan. The question arises as to why in the past the democratic process failed time and again? The steps taken to establish genuine democracy in the country and to make it durable should be continued.

The transfer of powers to the lower level has made people the master of their own destiny and resolution of their problems at local level has begun. This is an important step forward for their prosperity and progress and the process should be maintained.
A system of check and balance has been instituted at the national level with the 17th constitutional amendment, so that Martial Law is not clamped in future and assemblies complete their terms.

The establishment of National Security Council is necessary to further stabilise this system. I am sure that the members of Parliament would exhibit the same sense of responsibility in the matter of National Security Council, which they displayed in connection with 17th constitutional amendment.

Here, I am especially thankful to Pakistan Muslim League, its allied parts and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, for resolving the Legal Framework Order issue in a good manner in the wider interest of the country and the nation.

On this occasion, we should seek guidance from the adage of the Quaid-e-Azam: “I assure you that there is nothing more precious in the world than your conscience. When you present yourself before God Almighty, you should be able to say with confidence that whatever duties had been entrusted to you, you had discharged them with full honesty, sincerity and loyalty”.

Let’s promise the nation, as representatives of the nation, that we will acquit of our responsibilities with honesty and dutifulness so that we could make Pakistan a strong and prosperous country.

All our strategies should be geared towards achieving and promoting national interests and objectives. We should make Pakistan a moderate, developed, enlightened and welfare Islamic state - a county fully in consonance with the visions of Allama Iqbal and guiding principles of the Quaid-e-Azam, a country every Pakistani is proud of.
Respected Members:

Today, the whole world, particularly the people of this country, is looking towards you. You should prove with your responsible attitude that you are fit to take up these responsibilities. God Almighty is the custodian of Pakistan and grant prosperity and progress to its people. Ameen.

APP <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_18-1-2004_pg7_32>