LAHORE: Amidst two significant controversies surrounding the Punjab Assembly Speaker’s Office, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz conducted a one-on-one meeting with Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Wednesday to discuss concerns and clarify misunderstandings, according to official sources speaking to *Dawn*.
The meeting followed heated political discourse after the speaker became embroiled in debates over the assembly’s review of police operations and a contentious legislative proposal criticized by lawmakers and civil society.
Last month, the Punjab Assembly’s Committee on Law Reforms and Delegated Legislation, led by the speaker, evaluated the performance of the Crime Control Department (CCD) amid growing concerns over alleged police misconduct and extrajudicial killings. The committee summoned senior police officials, including the Sheikhupura regional police officer and the Kasur DPO, a move perceived by some as an overreach into administrative duties. This perception, amplified on social media, was interpreted by the speaker as an effort to undermine the constitutional authority of his office.
</figure>Additionally, the speaker raised objections after discovering that the Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders and Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, 2026—legislation he had privately criticized for resembling colonial-era laws—was approved by the relevant committee without his prior consultation. The bill faced backlash from opposition parties, civil society, and ruling party members, leading Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to direct a thorough review and redrafting.
The meeting aimed to resolve these tensions. Government sources reported that Speaker Khan clarified his stance on both issues, countering claims that he was operating independently of the chief minister. He emphasized that summoning police officials was intended to protect the speaker’s office dignity and constitutional integrity, not to interfere with executive functions. The discussions reportedly eased prior misunderstandings.
An official statement following the meeting noted that the two leaders deliberated on mutual interests, Punjab’s political landscape, and the ongoing budget session. Speaker Khan lauded Maryam Nawaz’s two-year tenure as “historic and unparalleled,” praising her initiative to extend electric bus services to district and tehsil headquarters. In response, the chief minister acknowledged the speaker’s efforts to modernize the Punjab Assembly, particularly the digitization of administrative records.
