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 add