Justice KK Agha was sworn in as a judge of the new Federal Constitutional Court, with Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan taking the oath in a ceremony attended by senior members of the judiciary.
Other judges of the Federal Constitutional Court — Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi — were present on the occasion. Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and other IHC judges also participated in the ceremony, while representatives of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, including President Wajid Gilani and Secretary Manzoor Jajja, were present.
Read: Who is part of the first chamber of the new Federal Constitutional Court?
Earlier, IHC judges Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan arrived for the event, followed by Justice Inaam Amin Minhas, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and Justice Muhammad Asif.
Soon after the Senate passed four bills related to the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the government moved quickly to operationalize the new judicial framework.
Justice Aminuddin Khan was earlier sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court, with President Asif Ali Zardari taking oath at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
In related news, the President accepted the resignation of Supreme Court Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, who resigned, terming the amendment an affront to the judiciary and the 1973 Constitution.
Justice Aminuddin’s swearing-in ceremony began with recitation of the Holy Quran, after which he pledged to uphold the Constitution, follow the code of conduct of the Supreme Judicial Council and ensure decisions free from self-interest, fear or favour.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, Senate President Yousaf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, cabinet members, COAS Marshal Asim Munir, CJCSC General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, parliamentarians and members of the legal fraternity.
Learn more: “27th amendment to guarantee justice”
Alongside Justice Agha, six judges were appointed to the FCC under Section 175A read with Section 175C. These include Justices Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Aamer Farooq and Ali Baqar Najafi of the Supreme Court, Justice KK Agha of the Sindh High Court, Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice (retd) Arshad Hussain Shah, appointed after Justice Musarrat Hilali refused to join.
Among the appointed judges, Justices Rizvi, Farooq and Najafi were sworn in by Justice Aminuddin of the Islamabad High Court.
Judge Agha’s appointment brings the FCC bench closer to full strength, with the government now considering increasing the total number of judges from seven to thirteen, a move that would require further parliamentary approval.
