ISLAMABAD: Amid rumours of constitutional amendments aiming to extend the retirement age of superior courts’ judges, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif has proclaimed that the government is poised to introduce legislation in the National Assembly (NA) today (Saturday) as it has achieved the “magic number”.

In an informal conversation with journalists at the parliament’s corridor on Friday, the minister said, “We have completed the number game in the lower house of parliament.”

According to the sources, the government wants to introduce a number of judicial reforms through a “constitutional package”, which also includes an extension in the retirement age of superior courts’ judges.

Article 179 of the Constitution envisages that a judge of the Supreme Court shall hold office until he attains the age of 65 years unless he sooner resigns or is removed from office under the Constitution. Article 195 of the Constitution says that a judge of a high court shall hold office until he attains the age of 62 years unless he sooner resigns or is removed from office following the Constitution.

The government intends to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court judges to 68. In the case of high court judges, the retirement age will be increased to 65.

According to reports, the government has managed a two-third majority in the Lower House of the Parliament.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024