Justice Aminuddin Khan on Friday was sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the newly established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), following the enactment of the 27th Constitutional Amendment. President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in a ceremony attended by senior civil and military officials, federal ministers, and parliamentary leaders.
Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza were present, alongside Supreme Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and other dignitaries. Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, his sister Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and federal cabinet members also attended.
Justice Aminuddin, whose legal career spans over four decades, previously headed the now-dissolved constitutional bench formed under the 26th Constitutional Amendment. Taking his oath in English, he pledged to uphold the Constitution, discharge his duties impartially, and act without fear, favour, or personal interest.
“The Federal Constitutional Court will ensure timely adjudication of constitutional cases, reduce the workload of the Supreme Court, and strengthen judicial independence,” government officials said.
Under Clause 3 of Article 175-A, read with Article 175-C of the Constitution, Justice Aminuddin’s appointment was made by President Zardari on the advice of the Prime Minister and became effective upon his oath-taking. The new court has been designed with equal provincial representation and will assume several powers of the Supreme Court, including taking suo motu notices.
Alongside Justice Aminuddin, six judges were appointed to the FCC: Justices Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Aamer Farooq, Ali Baqar Najafi, Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, Rozi Khan Barrech, and retired Justice Arshad Hussain Shah. The initial oath-taking for Justices Rizvi, Farooq, and Najafi was conducted at the Islamabad High Court by Justice Aminuddin. The FCC is expected to eventually expand to 13 judges, with any future increase requiring parliamentary approval.
The judicial overhaul also includes reforms to the Supreme Court’s bench formation process, now managed by a three-member committee headed by the Chief Justice. The retirement age of FCC judges has been set at 68, three years higher than Supreme Court judges.