LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has warned disgruntled PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair of legal action for ‘telling a lie’ about the alleged meeting between Nawaz Sharif and former army chief retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in London.

“Muhammad Zubair had no basis for his allegations and legal action can be initiated against him for defamation,” the speaker said on Monday, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations.

Talking to the media outside the assembly building, he stressed, “Gen Bajwa and Nawaz Sharif did not meet in London.”

He asked Zubair to come up with the date and location of the alleged meeting.

Cautioning that whatever Zubair said could cause him trouble, the speaker said if the two (Nawaz and Bajwa) did meet there would have been a record with the immigration authorities. He said the former army chief did not even speak to Nawaz, let alone meet him, suggesting that the facts should be brought forth before forming a judicial commission on the matter as demanded by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Regarding speculation about Zubair joining the PTI, he spoke against joining political parties through deceptive means.

“Zubair Umar should not join the PTI through lies,” he remarked, stressing against political point-scoring over national security.

The Punjab Assembly speaker acknowledged differences of opinion between the PML-N and PPP but underscored the role of a constructive debate and disagreement in political discourse, asserting that unity between major parties was crucial to ending instability and achieving economic stability in the country.

“The PPP is a major political entity and while there may be divergent perspectives on certain issues, expressionism and disagreement are integral to democratic politics.”

Referring to the Azm-i-Istehkam operation being opposed by the PTI, Mr Khan said: “Politicking is going on the Azm-i-Istehkam operation. The assemblies should be the centres for solving the problems. Whenever challenges we faced in the past, the nation rallied behind us. Pakistan had positive results after the National Action Plan was passed,” he said.

Terming the proposed new operation a matter of survival of the country, he said the opposition’s current attitude would be decided by history.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2024