Pakistan’s new Federal Constitutional Court starts work after oaths

Pakistan’s newly created Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) formally began functioning on Monday after two additional judges — Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Arshad Hussain Shah — took oath in Islamabad. Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan administered the oaths, raising the court’s strength to seven.

Following the ceremony, the chief justice constituted three benches to hear cases, and initial proceedings commenced at the Islamabad High Court complex. The FCC’s creation stems from the recent 27th Constitutional Amendment, which reshaped the country’s top-tier constitutional adjudication.

Under the reform package, selected constitutional matters previously heard by the Supreme Court are to be taken up by the FCC, which also gains suo motu powers on petitions. A committee led by the chief justice and two senior judges will decide bench formation, while the retirement age for FCC judges is set at 68 — three years higher than for Supreme Court judges.

Officials said courtroom reallocations within the IHC building are underway to accommodate the FCC’s benches. With the court operational, the government says equal provincial representation and faster disposal of constitutional cases are core objectives of the new system.