Pakistan’s Joint Parliamentary Session Monday at 10:30 AM Zardari to address for ninth time amid unprecedented security

Islamabad — Both houses of Pakistan’s Parliament will convene in a joint sitting on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 10:30 AM, following a change in timing. The revision to the session time was made on the direct instruction of President Asif Ali Zardari himself. 
The joint session has been convened in accordance with the constitutional requirement marking the start of the new parliamentary year. President Zardari will address the joint sitting for the ninth time in his capacity as President of Pakistan. 
His address is expected to outline national priorities, democratic stability, constitutional supremacy, and sustainable economic development. The speech will also cover the regional and global situation — particularly significant given the ongoing Iran conflict — Pakistan’s national resolve against terrorism, and the government’s commitment to eliminating militancy with alleged foreign backing.  (Axios)
Fort Knox-level security:
In view of the current serious security situation, the National Assembly Secretariat has implemented extraordinary measures. Entry of all unrelated persons will be completely prohibited and no guests will be permitted. Members of Parliament have been specifically requested not to bring any guests to the session. Only journalists holding valid 2026 press gallery cards for the National Assembly and Senate will be allowed to cover the session, with only one cameraman per TV channel permitted inside the building. 
The day after the joint sitting, the National Assembly’s first session of the new parliamentary year will formally begin on March 3. Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai is expected to open the floor debate on the presidential address, a tradition that typically continues throughout the parliamentary year alongside other legislative business. 
The session comes at a particularly sensitive moment as Pakistan grapples with nationwide protests, Section 144 in Islamabad, and a rapidly deteriorating regional security environment following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader.