By Asim Shahzad
LAHORE, November 04, 2025 — Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan has said that under the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, it must be examined whether provinces will retain sufficient fiscal space to run their own affairs after receiving funds through the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
Speaking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan said that work has apparently begun on the 27th Amendment and emphasized that his party’s case focuses on providing constitutional protection to local government institutions. He stated that, just as the federal and provincial governments enjoy constitutional guarantees, the district governments should also be protected under the constitution.
“No one should object to this amendment because it strengthens democracy at the grassroots level,” he said.
Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan further noted that if the local government issue is not included in the 27th Amendment, it can still be addressed later. Responding to a question about the founder of PTI’s imprisonment, he said that while he does not support keeping any political leader in jail, those involved in arson or attacks on public property must be held accountable. He added that the provinces should also contribute to federal debt repayments after receiving NFC funds, to ensure the federation’s financial stability.
Meanwhile, during the Punjab Assembly session, the House unanimously approved a resolution to include citizens’ blood groups on national identity cards. Several draft bills for private universities were also passed.
At the start of the session, Fatiha was offered for the martyrs of the Pakistan Army. Punjab Law Minister Rana Muhammad Iqbal presented the Punjab Emergency Service (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Forest (Amendment) Bill 2025, which the Speaker referred to the relevant committees for two months.
During the question hour, the Speaker expressed concern that delays in departmental responses were undermining the Assembly’s effectiveness and warned that institutions failing to provide timely answers would be referred to the Privileges Committee.
The session also featured a detailed discussion on the health sector, where government and opposition members highlighted the shortage of staff and facilities in hospitals across Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal, and Mianwali. The House also approved a resolution paying tribute to Saudi Arabia’s defense cooperation with Pakistan.
The Speaker reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening local governance, accountability, and institutional coordination through legislative and constitutional reforms.
