PM to Rally Parliamentary Support for Constitutional Changes
Government Needs 224 Votes in National Assembly, 64 in Senate to Secure Amendment
ISLAMABAD: As the current administration gears up to propose changes to the constitution, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif plans to secure his parliamentary party’s backing on the issue. Sources revealed to Geo News on Saturday that the Prime Minister will convene a meeting at the PM House at 7 pm today, followed by a dinner to honor the participants.
The government is aiming to push through a constitutional amendment concerning the retirement ages for judges. Specifically, they seek to extend the retirement age for Supreme Court judges to 68 and for High Court judges to 65. This proposal is met with strong opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
To pass the amendment, the ruling coalition must secure 224 votes in the National Assembly and 64 in the Senate. Currently, the coalition holds 211 seats in the National Assembly compared to the opposition’s 101, leaving them short by 13 votes.
This proposed amendment comes amidst ongoing speculation about Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s tenure and his potential extension. The Chief Justice has recently clarified that he will not entertain any specific proposals related to extending the term of the country’s top judge.
