Speaker, CM meet to ‘mend fences’ after recent controversies

LAHORE: Against the backdrop of two recent controversies involving the Punjab Assembly Speaker’s Office, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday held a one-on-one meeting with Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, during which the two discussed the issues and sought to dispel misunderstandings, official sources told Dawn.

The meeting came after the speaker found himself at the centre of political debate over the assembly’s scrutiny of police conduct and a controversial piece of legislation that drew criticism from lawmakers and rights groups alike.

Last month, the Punjab Assembly’s Committee on Law Reforms and Delegated Legislation, chaired by the speaker, reviewed the performance of the police, particularly the Crime Control Department (CCD), amid mounting concerns raised by lawmakers, human rights organisations and civil society over alleged police misconduct and extrajudicial killings.

The committee also summoned senior police officers, including the Sheikhupura regional police officer and the Kasur DPO, over an incident that was portrayed in some quarters as an attempt by the speaker to interfere in policing matters - an impression that, according to sources, was amplified on social media and viewed by the speaker as an attempt to undermine the constitutional office he holds.

In another development, the speaker expressed displeasure after learning that the Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders and Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, 2026 — legislation he had privately criticised as echoing colonial-era laws — had been cleared by the relevant standing committee without his knowledge. The proposed law later triggered strong criticism from opposition parties, civil society and even lawmakers within the ruling party, prompting Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to order a comprehensive review and redrafting of the bill.

It was in this context that Wednesday’s meeting took place.

Sources in the Punjab government told Dawn that Mr Khan explained his position on both issues and also addressed what he described as a perception being created by his opponents that he was functioning “parallel to the chief minister.”

“The speaker assured the CM of his complete loyalty and explained that summoning the police officers was aimed solely at safeguarding the dignity and constitutional sanctity of the speaker’s office,” a source said.

He also conveyed that his actions were never intended to interfere in the executive’s administrative domain but rather to uphold the authority and prestige of the provincial legislature.

“The meeting helped remove misunderstandings on these matters,” the source added.

According to an official handout issued after the meeting, the chief minister and the speaker discussed matters of mutual interest, the province’s political situation and the ongoing budget session.

The speaker praised Ms Nawaz’s two-year performance, describing it as “historic and unparalleled”, and commended her decision to expand electric bus services to district and tehsil headquarters for the first time in Punjab.

The chief minister, in turn, appreciated the speaker’s efforts to modernise the Punjab Assembly, particularly the digitisation of its records.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2026 ...