Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan, has been awarded the Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Award. With this, Pakistan has crossed an important milestone on the global stage, as reported by national media on Saturday.
According to details, the award ceremony was held at the residence of the Prime Minister of Barbados. The delegation of the Punjab Assembly included MPAs Sarah Ahmad, Ali Haider Gilani, Malik Ahmad Saeed, and others.
Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan said that this award is a great honor for Pakistan. No country can ignore the majority opinion of the international community. Reforms in the CPA and the United Nations are inevitable.
Punjab Assembly Member Sarah Ahmad said that Malik Ahmad Khan is the first Pakistani and Asian Speaker to receive this honor. This award is a global recognition of his leadership, parliamentary role, and democratic services.
German media (Voice of Germany) reported that the Punjab Assembly has achieved another important milestone by further strengthening its parliamentary role at the international level. Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has been elected as a member of the Asia Regional Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). His election took place during the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Barbados, which is considered an honor for both Pakistan and Punjab.
As a result of this election, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan will serve as an active member of the Asia Regional Executive Committee for the next three CPA conferences (2025–2028). Experts have termed this major achievement as a significant milestone in promoting parliamentary diplomacy, strengthening democratic ties, and improving Pakistan’s international image.
Important Meetings
During the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan held a special meeting with CPA Secretary-General Stephen Twigg, in which they discussed bilateral parliamentary cooperation, promotion of democratic relations, exchange of legislative experiences, and inter-parliamentary dialogue among member states.
On this occasion, both leaders expressed their determination to further strengthen mutual parliamentary relations.
Visit to Barbados Parliament
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, along with the Pakistani delegation, also visited the Barbados Parliament, where he met with the Speaker and members of the Barbados Parliament. The discussions focused on parliamentary processes, legislative experiences, institutional training, and strengthening ties among legislative bodies at the regional level.
In addition, the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly held bilateral meetings with parliamentary delegations from Asia and Southeast Asia, during which topics such as regional cooperation, mutual learning opportunities, and collaboration in lawmaking were discussed.
Active Participation in CPA
The Speaker of the Punjab Assembly took part actively and effectively in the CPA Asia Regional Executive Committee meeting, where important consultations were held with other parliamentary leaders of the region. During the session, Pakistan’s positive role was appreciated, and the inclusion of Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan was termed a key step toward regional parliamentary cooperation.
Representation of Pakistan
The parliamentary delegation accompanying the Speaker at this important international conference included:
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MPA Malik Ahmad Saeed Khan
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MPA Syed Ali Haider Gilani
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MPA Sarah Ahmad
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Secretary-General Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Amir Habib
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Additional Secretary Legislation Ali Hasnain Bhalli
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Advisor to Speaker Punjab Assembly Usama Khawar
The delegation participated in various sessions and discussions, covering key topics such as democratic values, transparent governance, youth participation in politics, and gender equality.
