Islamabad, November 4, 2024 -The National Assembly passed bills on Monday to increase the number of Supreme Court judges and extend the tenure of service chiefs, despite opposition protests.
The session, chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, began over two hours late. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented a motion to suspend the question hour, which was met with strong objections from opposition members who chanted “no, no” in disapproval.
During the session, the Law Minister introduced the Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance and presented a bill to increase the number of Supreme Court judges to 34. He explained that the additional judges are necessary to address the constitutional court’s caseload and reduce the backlog of pending cases.
Additionally, the House approved amendments to the Islamabad High Court Act, increasing the number of IHC judges from nine to twelve.
The National Assembly also passed bills extending the tenure of all service chiefs through amendments to the Pakistan Army Act of 1952, as well as the Air Force and Navy Acts. These bills, introduced by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, seek to ensure continuity in the leadership of the armed forces.
The session was adjourned until Tuesday.
