On Monday, the National Assembly (NA) and Senate approved bills extending the terms of the service chiefs and increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court (SC), despite protests from the opposition.
Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani gave his assent to the six bills passed by both houses, which include the increase in judges’ seats and the extension of the service chiefs’ tenures.
During the NA session, chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, tensions escalated, resulting in a physical altercation between members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling party. Debates grew heated, leading to clashes between PTI members and government officials, prompting intervention from the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Notable figures, including Federal Law Minister Atta Tarar and other members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), exchanged fiery remarks with opposition members, requiring multiple interventions from security personnel. The NA session was eventually adjourned until 11 am due to the disturbances.
Earlier that day, the NA passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) (Amendment) Act, 2024, which will increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of Pakistan to 34, despite strong objections from the opposition. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar highlighted the need for more judges in both the SC and the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which will increase its judges from nine to twelve.
During the session, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq urged PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan to allow others to speak in order to maintain order. Tarar remarked, “We listen to Barrister Gohar if he will listen to us,” as the bill underwent clause-by-clause approval before passing.
In reaction to the bills, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan criticized the passage outside the parliament, claiming, “Today, democracy has been transformed into a monarchy.” Similarly, PTI’s Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, expressed disapproval of the government’s actions, stating, “The service chiefs’ tenure is not good for the country.” Other political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), also condemned the legislative developments.
