Rana Sanaullah, the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has unequivocally stated that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa will refuse any offer of an extension, should it be presented to him.
He stated that although he avoids commenting on specific judges, there is an urgent requirement for reforms in the judicial system. According to him, the administrative apparatus within the judiciary and certain individuals have caused obstacles that impede the efficient operation of the system.
The government said that it did not propose the bill to augment the number of judges. He asserted that the motivation for this growth originated from within the judiciary itself, indicating that certain judges may be eager to prolong their term.
Rana Sanaullah highlighted the discrepancy in the retirement age between the High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to judges. “The retirement age for High Court judges is 62 years, whereas for Supreme Court judges, it is 65 years,” he clarified.
He stated that every judge wishes to extend their service by three years by transitioning from the High Court to the Supreme Court, regardless of their rank on the seniority list.
In relation to the recent discourse on expanding the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, the PML-N leader stated that keeping the current retirement age at 65 may not be opposed, but any further increase would necessitate thoughtful deliberation.
Nevertheless, he conceded that modifying the constitution to enact such an alteration would be arduous due to the dearth of requisite backing in Parliament.
Rana Sanaullah unequivocally emphasized that the rumors about Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa are false, and he made it clear that even if an extension is given, it will not be acknowledged or approved. The user mentioned the previous criticism that emerged when the notification for the appointment of the Chief Justice was released a couple of months ago. The user also stated that the announcement of a new Chief Justice of Pakistan will be made at the suitable moment.
Regarding the recent delay of a PTI demonstration, he said that the decision to postpone the rally was made by the administrative authorities, and that the Islamabad administration had been in contact with PTI.
The administration has voiced apprehensions regarding the potential escalation of the situation, which could result in the delay of the gathering. As per the Prime Minister’s Advisor, the initial communication regarding the delay was initiated with Ali Amin Gandapur, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Subsequently, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) was issued for the rally, scheduled for September 8.
