Daily Times

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has refused an extension in his service tenure, according to a statement by Advisor to the Prime Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Rana Sanaullah. While speaking on a private media channel on Monday, Rana said that Justice Isa discussed the matter with the Law Minister and Attorney General, indicating that while he would accept a general age limit extension for all, he would not accept an extension in his individual case. Rana noted that the government lacks the parliamentary majority required for either granting the extension or passing a constitutional amendment to facilitate it. “If we had the numbers, it should have been done because a constitutional amendment is the prerogative of Parliament,” he stated. On the political front, Rana clarified that their cooperation with Maulana Fazlur Rehman does not signify full alignment. He also addressed allegations against Lt. General (retired) Faiz Hameed, who is accused of influencing military appointments through the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and suggested that the involvement of PTI’s founder could not be ruled out. The PM’s adviser further dismissed rumours regarding former COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa seeking an extension and denied any meetings between Nawaz Sharif and Bajwa’s father-in-law in London. Separately, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has categorically stated that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa has expressed a clear disinterest in extending his tenure. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Tarar said that following a recent meeting of the Judicial Commission, the chief justice had conveyed his position to him directly, stating he does not wish for any extension to his current term. “The chief Justice clearly said he is not interested in an extension,” he disclosed. Tarar emphasized that discussing an extension for the chief justice’s tenure is inappropriate, given the CJP’s explicit stance against it.