Justice Aminuddin Khan on Friday was sworn in as the first chief justice of the newly established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) after the 27th Amendment was enacted into law a day on Thursday.
COAS Field Marshal Asim Munir and CJCSC General Sahir Shamshad Mirza were also present for the ceremony held at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad. Meanwhile, Supreme Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sat alongside Justice Aminuddin on the stage.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, his sister Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gillani, and members of the federal cabinet were also in attendance.
The ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, following which President Zardari administered the oath to Justice Aminuddin in English.
In his oath, Justice Aminuddin vowed to discharge his duties in accordance with the Constitution and the law, while also abiding by the code of conduct issued by the Supreme Judicial Council.
“That I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions. That I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and that in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill will,” he said in his oath, after which he shook hands with the president.
His appointment was made by President Asif Ali Zardari earlier under Clause 3 of Article 175A, read with Article 175C, of the Constitution, adding that it would come into effect from the date of Justice Aminuddin’s oath-taking.
President Zardari also appointed the remaining six judges to the FCC. A notification issued by the law ministry, said that the president made the appointments under Clause 3 of Article 175-A read with Article 175-C of the Constitution.
Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi of the Supreme Court, Justice KK Agha of the Sindh High Court and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech were appointed to the FCC.
Justice (retd) Arshad Hussain Shah has also been appointed. He was appointed as Justice Musarrat Hilali was not willing to join the FCC, a source told.
The initial strength of the FCC was determined through a presidential order, while any future increase in the number of judges will require parliamentary approval through an act of Parliament.
Of the judges appointed to the FCC, Justices Rizvi, Farooq and Najafi were administered the oath by Justice Aminuddin at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The proposal to establish the FCC has been revived as part of the judicial reforms incorporated in the 27th Constitutional Amendment. According to government officials, the FCC’s creation aims to reduce the SC’s workload, ensure timely adjudication of constitutional cases and strengthen judicial independence and credibility.
It was earlier reported that the oath-taking ceremony for the FCC judges would be held at the IHC, as judges of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) had resisted an immediate relocation to the third floor of the IHC building.
Initially, the oath-taking of Justice Aminuddin was scheduled for Thursday at 10am. However, following a minor revision to the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, the legislation had to be returned to the Senate for approval. After the Senate cleared the bill on Thursday, the ceremony was first rescheduled for 6pm and was later moved to Friday morning.
Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari has accepted the resignations of Supreme Court judges Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, a post on the President’s official X account said on Friday.
The two judges had handed in their resignations yesterday, hours after the contentious 27th Constitutional Amendment was signed into law by the president, describing the legislation as an affront to the judiciary and the 1973 Constitution.