ISLAMABAD: Two additional judges of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) — Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Arshad Hussain Shah — were sworn in on Monday in a ceremony led by FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan. The judges took an oath to uphold the Constitution and perform their duties faithfully, marking another step in the formal establishment of Pakistan’s new apex constitutional forum.
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The oath-taking follows the swearing-in of four other FCC members, Justices Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Aamer Farooq, Ali Baqar Najafi, and KK Agha, over the previous weekend. Justice Shah’s appointment comes after it emerged that Supreme Court Justice Musarrat Hilali declined to join the FCC. President Asif Ali Zardari had earlier appointed Justice Aminuddin as FCC chief justice, following his assent to the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The FCC was formally inaugurated last Friday with its chief justice and four judges taking the oath. Its creation aims to reduce the Supreme Court’s workload, expedite the adjudication of constitutional matters, and strengthen judicial independence and credibility. However, the court has begun operations under temporary arrangements, as permanent premises have not yet been finalized.
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The oath-taking ceremony was clouded by a boycott from five senior Islamabad High Court judges, raising questions about the principles guiding FCC appointments. Critics noted that seniority was not consistently applied, with most appointees ranking below members of the now-defunct Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court.