President recommends lifting of Governor Rule in Punjab)

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Saturday recommended lifting of Governor Rule in Punjab.

Addressing a joint sitting of the Parliament here, President Zardari said: “I announce that we wish to recommend lifting of Governor rule in Punjab.”

The President said that a parliamentary committee would be constituted to review the 17th Amendment and 58-2(B).

He said: “I propose to form a parliamentary committee for reviewing the 17th Amendment and 58-2(B).”

President Zardari said the above committee be formed without any further delay.

He also proposed to form a committee to review Chater of Democracy (CoD) for its implementation.

President Zardari said the supremacy of parliament was a dream of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the government has taken steps to fulfill her dream.

He said the country is passing through a severe economic recession as the global meltdown has badly affected country’s economy. The president vowed to root out terrorism and extremism.

The President said the present government inherited a number of problems including war against terrorism and economic challenges.

“Difficult decisions had to be taken in the wake of the global economic meltdown,” he said, adding, “In this regard I congratulate the Prime Minister.”

He said the rate of inflation has registered a decline and hoped that it would be brought down to a single digit by the next year.

The value of rupee has improved as well as the foreign remittances.

The President said he visited Balochistan yesterday and met with cross section of the people in the province.

He said he was urged to form a parliamentary committee to address the issues of Balochistan.

“I urge the parliament to form the parliamentary committee to resolve problems of Balochistan,” President Asif Ali Zardari said.

He also spoke in favor of giving Balochistan people the autonomy they have been demanding for the last 60 years.

He announced Rs47 billion plan for development of Balochistan.

Earlier, he congratulated the members of the Parliament on completion of the first parliamentary year.