Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub has demanded that the government ‘immediately’ announce the name of the new chief justice of Pakistan.

“The government should immediately announce the name of the new chief justice of Pakistan amid the prevailing situation. There will be a strong protest if any legislation is done in this regard,” he said during the NA session presided over by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Monday.

CJP Qazi Faez Isa will retire on October 25 and according to media reports he has expressed no intention of extending his tenure.

A few ministers have also rejected the speculation that the government wanted to bring a “judicial package”—as cited by the PTI leaders concerning the extension of CJP Isa’s tenure.

In response, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that according to the current constitution and laws, the Judicial Commission and the Parliamentary Committee can appoint the chief justice of Pakistan from among the senior judges present in the high courts.

The lady judge from the Lahore High Court was ranked fifth and the Judicial Commission has appointed her as the chief justice of LHC, he said. According to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Tarar the senior most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed as the chief justice of Pakistan.

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“The matter of the chief justice of the Supreme Court can only be handled according to the Constitution,” the law minister said.

In the session, Ayub appreciated the NA speaker’s decision to issue a production order for MNA Haji Imtiaz Chaudhry and described it as a “good tradition.” He also condemned the terrorist activities in Punjab’s riverine area and demanded the removal of Punjab’s inspector general of police.

The opposition leader also announced that the PTI would hold a grand public gathering on September 8.