Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that a proposal to increase the voting age is currently under consideration as part of broader constitutional discussions.
Speaking during a television programme, he noted that while citizens in Pakistan can register as voters at the age of 18, there is debate around whether related eligibility rules for elections should also be revisited for consistency.
He added that any final decision would require broad political consensus.
Wider discussion on possible constitutional changes
The remarks come amid growing speculation about a potential 28th Constitutional Amendment. According to Sanaullah, discussions are not limited to electoral matters but also include several governance and policy areas.
These reportedly include:
- National Finance Commission (NFC) resource distribution
- Population planning policies
- Development of new water reservoirs
- Broader administrative reforms
He stressed that no constitutional amendment would move forward without agreement among all major stakeholders.
Defence spending and financial frameworks
Sanaullah also suggested that defence expenditures could be treated separately from the existing resource-sharing mechanism under the NFC award system.
This idea, he said, is part of ongoing consultations aimed at reviewing how financial resources are distributed between the federation and provinces.
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No final decision yet on 28th Amendment
The debate around a possible constitutional amendment has generated political discussion, particularly regarding whether it could affect or revise provisions of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which strengthened provincial autonomy in 2010.
However, government representatives have clarified that no formal process has begun and that discussions remain preliminary.
Officials, including Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, have reiterated that any constitutional amendment would require full political consensus.
Political sensitivity around reforms
The 18th Amendment remains a sensitive topic in Pakistan’s political landscape, as it redistributed several administrative powers from the federal government to the provinces, particularly in sectors such as health, education, and local governance.
Opposition parties, especially the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have strongly opposed any move that could reverse or weaken those provisions.
For now, officials maintain that discussions are exploratory and part of broader policy consultations rather than an active legislative process.
However, the topic continues to generate political debate as stakeholders await further clarity on whether any formal constitutional proposal will be introduced in the coming months.
