ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): In a recent development, Justice Arshad Hussain Shah and Justice Rozi Khan took oath as the Federal Constitutional Court FCC Judges took oath here on Monday.
As per details, the strength of judges of the FCC has now reached seven. Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, administered the oath to Justice Rozi Khan and Justice Arshad Hussain Shah.
Justice Hassan Azhar, Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, and Justice K.K. Agha had already been sworn in. Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan himself took the oath at the Aiwan-e-Sadr at the hands of President Asif Ali Zardari.
It was attended by Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Arbab Tahir, Justice Khadim Hussain, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, Justice Muhammad Asif, and Justice Inam Amin Minhas, among others.
After completing the court’s judicial strength, the Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan has constituted three benches of the Federal Constitutional Court:
- Bench-I: Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, Justice Arshad Hussain Shah.
- Bench-II: Justice Hassan Rizvi, Justice K.K. Agha.
- Bench-III: Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Rozi Khan
After the benches are set up, the Federal Constitutional Court is ready to start the process of hearing constitutional matters falling under its ambit.
It is important to note that Justice Aminuddin Khan administered the oath as the first Chief Justice of the newly constituted Federal Constitutional Court under the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
At an oath-taking ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath of office to the newly appointed chief justice of the Federal Constitutional Court.
The ceremony was started with the recitation of a verse from the Holy Quran and was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Justice Yahaya Afridi.
Chairman of Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, federal ministers, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari were also in attendance, besides parliamentarians and notables from the legal fraternity.
Justice Mansoor, Minallah resigned
The swearing-in comes after the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment. Following the Amendment, the resignations of the senior-most Supreme Court judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, were also announced.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah tendered his resignation to the President, saying that he served the institution with honour, honesty, and integrity.
In the letter, he further said that his conscience is clear, he has no regrets, and he is resigning as the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court. Later, Law and Justice Commission member and former attorney Makhdoom Ali Khan also resigned.
