Extension in CJP’s term will be a disaster, PTI’s Qaiser tells law minister Tarar

Advising the PML-N-led government to refrain from “interference in institutions’ [affairs]”, Senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said that it will be a “disaster” if the term of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) is extended, a proposal “on the cards” by the ruling alliance.

Qaiser, the former National Assembly speaker, made remarks on Sunday while responding to Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar’s statement, wherein the latter hinted at bringing constitutional amendments to change the traditional approach to selecting judges for the Supreme Court as well as high courts.

On Friday, the law minister said that they wanted to establish a “balance” in the appointment of judges.

In a video statement shared on his X handle, the PTI leader said: “The law minister hinted at amending the laws [regarding the appointment of judges] and extension in the service of the CJP.”

Taking a firm stance on an expected move by the PML-N-led ruling alliance about judicial reforms, he categorically announced that they would not allow any “politically motivated legislation” paving the way for extending the term of the country's top judge.

“We will not allow any such legislation. There are political motives behind it.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal minister had said that the status of the Parliamentary Committee on Judicial Appointments was not more than a “rubber stamp” following the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

Referring to the proposals circulating on social media platforms about Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa’s term, the minister had said: “I will not completely reject proposals regarding the tenure of the chief justice.”

According to media reports, the government was mulling that the tenure of the top judge should be for a fixed term, besides judicial reforms.

In the 18th Amendment, there was a balance in the appointment of judges, the law minister had added.

A day earlier, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah suggested fixing the term of the CJP.

It is worth mentioning that CJP Isa had assumed charge of the top court in September 2023 and would retire in October 2024, on attaining the age of superannuation. If the ruling alliance brings any legislation to fix the term of the Supreme Court's chief justice for two or three years, the incumbent top judge’s tenure would increase automatically.

Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, the PML-N Punjab chapter president had said: “The term of the chief justice should be fixed.”

“There is no institution [in the country] whose head’s tenure is not fixed.”

He had further said that it had also happened in the past that the CJPs assumed their offices for just 14 days.