Shehbaz-led govt now working on amendment to establish constitutional court,

Islamabad-(Mudassar Iqbal)-The government has accepted a proposal from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) regarding judicial reforms, including rejecting the extension of the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s retirement age. A government delegation met with JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman to discuss the matter.

The government will now work on a constitutional amendment to establish a constitutional court, with the top judge appointed from the apex court. The proposal will be presented in the cabinet meeting on September 15 and introduced in parliament on the same day.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar emphasized the need for a constitutional court, citing the backlog of constitutional cases in the Supreme Court. The government has secured necessary support from coalition parties, but is still working to bring all members on board.

A PTI delegation met with Fazlur Rehman but left without reaching an agreement. The opposition party has consulted other parties regarding potential legislation.

The government’s proposed constitutional amendment aims to raise the retirement age for Supreme Court judges and extend the chief justice’s term by three years. The amendment requires a two-thirds majority in the lower house, and the government is working to secure the necessary votes.

Earlier,

PTI seeks JUI’s support to block constitutional amendment,

A PTI delegation, led by Chairman Barrister Gohar, included prominent figures such as Asad Qaiser, Umar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza.

The team initially visited the JUI chief’s residence, but upon finding a government delegation already present, they postponed the meeting until late at night.

Upon their return, Maulana Fazlur Rehman warmly welcomed the PTI leaders.

Also present during the meeting were JUI spokesperson Aslam Ghauri, legal team members Senator Kamran Murtaza, and Hafiz Ehsan Khokhar, signaling the importance of this political dialogue.

The PTI is focused on preventing the constitutional amendment, aiming to rally support from key political figures to challenge the government’s plan.