Judges retirement age: Movers having second thoughts on presentation of bill in NA

ISLAMABAD: The sponsors of a proposed private members’ constitutional bill, belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to enhance the retirement age of Supreme Court judges by three years are having second thoughts to move it in the National Assembly in the face of its opposition from different circles.

“I will see whether or not to table the bill when the National Assembly meets,” one of the two sponsors, Syed Fakhar Imam, told The News when contacted. He said at the moment he was busy as the chairman of the Kashmir Committee. The other sponsor, Amjad Ali Khan elected from Mianwali, was not available for comments. Fakhar Imam, who was one of the exceptional speakers of the National Assembly during General Ziaul Haq’s time in the '80, said some fellow MPs plan to bring the bill before the Lower House of Parliament.

On September 18, the National Assembly had to defer the introduction of this bill due to objections raised by the opposition. Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Ms Maleeka Bokhari had not opposed it. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah had said the government was under some pressure. It should itself introduce the bill instead of bringing it as a private members’ proposal, he said adding in the first step, the government should increase the retirement age of all government employees and then initiate a similar process for the Supreme Court judges.