Registering strong opposition to the government’s judiciary-centric constitutional amendment to increase judges’ tenure and their retirement age, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday rejected the new legislation and termed it an “ambush on the Supreme Court”.
The government, determined to press ahead with legislation affecting the superior judiciary, is scrambling to court members from various political parties.
The proposed amendments aim to increase the retirement age of superior judges by three years, sparking controversy and a political tug-of-war between the government and the opposition.
Currently, Article 179 of the Constitution states that a Supreme Court judge shall hold office until the age of 65, while Article 195 sets the retirement age for high court judges at 62.
Speaking to media, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan stressed that such significant changes in the constitution should only be legislated in the nation’s and country’s best interest, rather than for personal gains. However, he warned the government against “touching” the Supreme Court. When asked about his meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Gohar acknowledged that “offers” were part of politics but clarified that the PTI had not made one.
“I believe Maulana has taken a principled stance [on this matter], and he is sticking to it. Judges should not be granted extensions, nor should their [retirement] age be increased,” he said.
The PTI chairman warned that if passed, the legislation would tarnish the judiciary’s reputation and compromise the judicial system.
