Labour Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, has criticized the disparate public. And media responses to the writing of letters by judges compared to other public figures, notably Shaukat Siddiqui.
Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan voiced his concern during a media interaction at the Punjab Assembly. Describing it as unfortunate that there is an uproar when a judge writes a letter. Yet silence when Shaukat Siddiqui makes statements.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the Contempt of Dignity Bill. Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan defended the decision to endorse the bill without hesitation. As Speaker, he questioned how an acting Governor could block the bill once approved. He highlighted the government’s recent decision to disengage from the wheat business, asserting it was in the farmers’ best interests. He acknowledged this policy change had caused a price decline. Attributing it to government policies that had inadvertently slowed economic activities. He warned that providing subsidies in various forms to farmers could further exacerbate their problems.
Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan emphasized the coalition nature of the current government, urging both the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to adhere to moral decision-making in legislative and daily operational matters. He criticized the habitual tearing up of budget documents during protests over budget allocations, describing it as a routine yet counterproductive practice.
He dismissed the notion that protests involving shouting, insults, accusations, and tearing budget documents were legitimate forms of expression. Emphasized that all participants, including himself, had contributed to such actions as part of democratic dissent. He stressed the importance of collective responsibility rather than assigning blame to one individual.
Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan concluded by reaffirming his active participation in protests as part of democratic processes. He emphasized the need for consistency in upholding principles, whether endorsing legislation or managing day-to-day governance issues.
