Pakistan's government considers raising voting age and altering provincial autonomy

As part of the upcoming 28th Constitutional Amendment, the government is considering a proposal to raise the minimum voting age from 18 to 25, drawing criticism from opposition parties, legal experts and members of the civil society, all of who term it an “attempt to disenfranchise millions of young voters”. [ . . . ] The voting age was previously lowered from 21 to 18 in 2002 under military ruler Pervez Musharraf through an amendment to Article 106(2) of the Constitution. Any reversal would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Beyond the voting age proposal, the legislative package under the 28th Amendment is expected to target provincial autonomy and financial distribution, potentially altering key components of the 18th Amendment passed in 2010. While Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that any amendment would only proceed after consultation with coalition partners, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has denied receiving a formal proposal, insiders within the ruling coalition confirm that significant constitutional shifts are on the table.
Read the full article here: The Current