ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Friday that the government will introduce a significant constitutional amendment in the National Assembly on Saturday. This follows securing the necessary votes in the lower house, a crucial step for passing the amendment.
The proposed change aims to extend the retirement age for judges. Currently, Supreme Court judges retire at 65 and high court judges at 62. The amendment would raise these ages to 68 and 65, respectively, reflecting a major shift in judicial tenure policies.
Despite the progress in the lower house, the government still needs three more votes in the Senate. The amendment’s passage hinges on gathering these remaining votes quickly. Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has instructed its Senate members to hold off on voting until further clarity from party leadership is provided.
Amid these developments, there has been speculation about extending Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa’s term. CJP Isa has made it clear that he opposes any specific proposals targeting his tenure, emphasizing that such changes should be made with broad consideration rather than individual focus.
