Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday that President Asif Ali Zardari created history by addressing the joint session of the parliament for the fifth consecutive year, while opposition tried to catch headlines by protesting during it.

Criticizing the opposition, especially Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, she said at a time when Pakistan People's Party and its allies were writing history, the opposition was doing politics of drawing media attention and catching headlines.

Talking to media outside the Parliament House after the Presidential address, she said: "The credit of completing four years goes to democratic forces and sagacity and political acumen of President Asif Ali Zardari."

The minister said the current parliament did legislation to provide relief to common man and empower women. In its last parliamentary year, the government is all set to provide relief to the people to enable them to lead a respectable life.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said that in his address, the President had given a clear roadmap to solve people's problems in a systematic manner. This roadmap, she said was based on continuity of Parliament, consistency of policies, strengthening of democratic institutions. "The current Parliament has entered into its last year. And after completion of its tenure, there would be a smooth transition to the next government through a free, fair and independent election commission. It would happen for the first time in country's history," she added.

She pointed out that it was also for the first time in the country's unique history that all major political parties of the country were in power in way or the other. Some are in power in the centre, while others are enjoying it in some provinces.

To a question regarding PML-N's protest during President's speech upon the issues of poverty, unemployment and price hike, the minister said all those issues were not new.