According to the Law Ministry, the appointment will take effect from the date Justice Khan takes oath of office
President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed Justice Aminuddin Khan as the first Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, the appointment was made “in exercise of the powers conferred under clause (3) of Article 175-A read with Article 175-C of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
The notification further stated that Justice Khan’s appointment will take effect from the date he takes oath. The development follows the recent passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which was approved by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament.
Under the new provisions, a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) will be established with equal provincial representation. The president and prime minister will play central roles in judicial appointments, while certain powers of the Supreme Court will now be transferred to the FCC.
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) will oversee the transfer of Supreme Court judges. Any objections to such transfers will be reviewed by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).
The eligibility requirement for Supreme Court justices to be appointed to the FCC has been reduced from seven to five years. The seniority of sitting Supreme Court judges joining the new court will remain intact, while the seniority of appointees from the Bar or High Courts will be determined by age.
Read more: Supreme Court Justices Mansoor Ali Shah, Athar Minallah Resign After Passing 27th Amendment
In addition, the JCP has been expanded to include, in addition to a woman or non-Muslim member, a technocrat appointed by the Speaker of the National Assembly who is qualified to become a member of Parliament—a move aimed at ensuring broader, merit-based representation.
Under the new system, suo motu powers will be exercised by the FCC only after a written application and after the court is satisfied that there are constitutional grounds to intervene — a move intended to promote transparency and judicial restraint.
With regard to the transfer of judges, the bill authorizes the JCP to process transfers between courts. If a judge refuses a transfer without valid reason, the case will be referred to the Supreme Judicial Council for a hearing before any decision is made.
