Pakistan’s federal government has firmly dismissed speculation that it plans to raise the minimum voting age from 18 to 25, following a political firestorm ignited by a senior adviser’s controversial remarks.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Monday rejected the circulating reports as baseless rumours, stating categorically that no such proposal was under consideration. “Why should we comment on rumours? No such proposals are under our consideration,” Tarar told reporters, attempting to quell growing public anger.
The controversy erupted after Rana Sanaullah, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, suggested during a television appearance that raising the voting age was being discussed as part of a potential 28th Constitutional Amendment. Sanaullah pointed to an existing inconsistency in Pakistani election law: citizens can vote at 18 but cannot contest elections until age 25. He argued that if the voting age were raised, the candidacy age should be lowered to maintain parity.
The proposal immediately triggered fierce criticism across Pakistan’s political spectrum. Opposition leaders, civil society activists, and legal experts condemned the idea as an assault on democratic rights that would disenfranchise millions of young Pakistanis.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan dismissed the notion as unserious, warning that stripping 18-year-olds of voting rights would severely damage Pakistan’s democratic process. He noted that the United Nations defines youth as people between 15 and 29 years old.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl lawmaker Kamran Murtaza argued that if Pakistani law recognizes 18-year-olds as adults capable of marriage, they must retain the right to vote. “A person mature enough to understand marriage can also understand the law,” he said.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also distanced the government from the proposal, stating he was unaware of any such discussions and confirming that no cabinet deliberations had occurred on the matter.
The voting age controversy emerged amid broader speculation about a 28th Constitutional Amendment, which some fear could roll back the landmark 18th Amendment that devolved significant powers to Pakistan’s provinces. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has insisted that any constitutional changes would require full consensus among coalition partners and stakeholders.
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has also denied that formal talks on a 28th Amendment have begun, though he acknowledged uncertainty about future developments.
Under current Pakistani law, citizens aged 18 or older on January 1 of the year electoral rolls are prepared can register to vote. The legal framework has remained unchanged for years, making any attempt to raise the voting age a significant constitutional undertaking that would require broad political support.
The swift government denial suggests that officials recognized the political toxicity of appearing to restrict democratic participation, particularly among Pakistan’s large youth population. With millions of young voters potentially affected, any serious attempt to raise the voting age would likely face overwhelming resistance from opposition parties, civil society, and the public.
The episode highlights ongoing tensions within Pakistan’s coalition government over constitutional reforms and the delicate balance required to maintain political consensus on fundamental democratic issues.
