Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Rana Sanaullah, has made a firm statement regarding the possible extension of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, stating that the top judge would never accept even if he is given an extension.
Speaking on Samaa TV’s program “Redline with Talat,” he expressed that while he refrains from commenting on individual judges, there is a pressing need for reforms within the judicial system, and according to him, the administrative machinery within the judiciary and certain individuals have created bottlenecks that hinder the system’s smooth functioning.
The clarified that the government had not initiated the bill to increase the number of judges. He stated that the desire for such an increase stemmed from within the judiciary itself, suggesting that some judges might be keen on extending their tenure.
Regarding the retirement age of judges, Rana Sanaullah pointed out the disparity between the High Court and the Supreme Court. “The retirement age for High Court judges is 62 years, while for Supreme Court judges, it is 65 years,” he explained.
He added that every judge aspires to serve an additional three years by moving from the High Court to the Supreme Court, irrespective of their position on the seniority list.
Regarding the ongoing debate about extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, the PML-N leader mentioned that while there may be no objections to maintaining the current retirement age at 65, increasing it further would require careful consideration.
However, he acknowledged that amending the constitution to implement such a change would be challenging due to the lack of necessary support in Parliament.
Addressing the rumours surrounding Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Rana Sanaullah firmly stated, “Even if an extension is granted, it will not be accepted.” He recalled the criticism that arose when the notification for the Chief Justice was issued two to three months ago and assured that the announcement of a new Chief Justice of Pakistan would be made at the appropriate time.
Commenting on the recent postponement of a PTI rally, he revealed that the decision to postpone the rally was made at an administrative level and that the Islamabad administration had been in communication with PTI.
The administration had expressed concerns that the situation could escalate, leading to the rally's postponement. According to the Prime Minister's Advisor, the first contact regarding the postponement was made with Ali Amin Gandapur, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and an NOC for the rally was later issued for September 8.
