As speculation surrounding the 28th Constitutional Amendment continues to grow, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah has confirmed that a proposal to increase the voting age in Pakistan is currently under consideration.
Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Jirga’, Sanaullah raised an important point — that a person cannot contest an election until the age of 25, and questioned whether the age for contesting elections should also be reduced to 18 if the voting age is to be changed.
Under the prevailing election laws, a Pakistani citizen can be enrolled as a voter if they are at least 18 years of age on January 1 of the year in which electoral rolls are prepared or revised. It is also required that the person is a resident of the relevant electoral area in order to register as a voter there.
What Else Is Being Discussed?
Sanaullah said discussions related to the possible 28th Constitutional Amendment cover multiple governance and policy issues, including National Finance Commission resource distribution, population control measures, and the construction of new water reservoirs.
He stressed that the government would not move forward on the 28th Amendment without agreement among all stakeholders, adding that consultations on such matters have been ongoing and would continue as part of broader constitutional and policy discussions.
On the NFC formula, Sanaullah said it is not necessary to change it entirely, suggesting instead that defence expenditures could be treated separately from the existing resource-sharing mechanism.
PPP and Other Parties React
The remarks came amid growing political debate over reports of discussions surrounding a possible constitutional amendment ahead of Eid ul Adha. Concerns have also been raised that the 28th Amendment might undo the 18th Amendment — which devolved powers to provinces on issues such as health, women’s development, social welfare, and local government — passed during the PPP-led government in 2010.
PPP has strongly objected to any proposals that would tweak the 18th Amendment. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari denied any immediate talks on the proposed amendment, saying: “No talks have taken place yet on the 28th Amendment; I do not know about tomorrow.”
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also clarified that any constitutional amendment process will only proceed with consensus, adding there were currently no signs of a 28th Amendment being imminent.
