Islamabad (Web Desk): President Asif Ali Zardari has formally approved Justice Aminuddin Khan as the inaugural Chief Justice of the newly formed Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). The appointment was made on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement released Thursday, shortly after the President gave his assent to the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
A notification from the Law Ministry stated that President Zardari’s appointment was made under clause (3) of Article 175-A, read in conjunction with Article 175-C of the Constitution. The appointment takes effect from the day Justice Khan takes his oath.
Justice Khan, whose legal career spans nearly four decades, previously served as the head of the now-dissolved constitutional bench established under the 26th Constitutional Amendment last year.
The newly established FCC, created through the 27th Amendment, will have equal representation from all provinces. The President and Prime Minister will hold significant influence over judicial appointments, while the FCC will inherit the Supreme Court’s authority to hear constitutional matters.
Significantly, the FCC will also assume the power to take suo motu notices upon petitions, a function previously exercised by the Supreme Court. During National Assembly debates on the court’s establishment, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari noted that the judiciary would no longer have unilateral suo motu authority, citing past challenges faced by the PPP and PML-N under such powers.
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, sworn in on October 30, 2024, remains the senior-most judge for now. Upon completion of his three-year tenure, the senior-most judge among the SC and FCC benches will assume the role of the top judge.
The recent judicial reforms, part of the 27th Amendment, not only dissolved the Constitutional Benches but also, through the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2025, shifted the authority to constitute case-hearing benches to a three-member committee led by the Chief Justice.
The committee will include the Chief Justice, the most senior judge, and a third judge nominated by the Chief Justice. In case of a member’s absence, the Chief Justice can appoint a substitute. Decisions within the committee will be made by majority vote.
The retirement age for FCC judges has been set at 68 years, three years higher than that of Supreme Court judges, who retire at 65.
Legal expert Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar emphasized that the Supreme Court will remain the ultimate appellate forum for civil, criminal, tax, corporate, and special law cases under Article 185, while the FCC will exclusively handle constitutional interpretation, federal–provincial disputes, advisory opinions, and appeals arising from high court rulings under Article 199.
Justice Aminuddin Khan, born on December 1, 1960, in Multan to the distinguished lawyer Advocate Khan Sadiq Muhammad Ahsan, received his early education locally.
After completing secondary school in 1977, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy in 1981, followed by an LLB from University Law College, Multan in 1984, along with a diploma in Taxation Law.
Justice Khan began his legal practice under his father, gaining his license to practice in lower courts in 1985 and enrolling as an advocate of the Lahore High Court in 1987.
In 2001, he was admitted as an advocate of the Supreme Court and continued practicing civil law, particularly in property, pre-emption, and inheritance matters, appearing in significant Supreme Court cases.
In 2011, he joined the Lahore High Court bench, earning recognition for efficiently resolving long-standing civil disputes across Bahawalpur, Multan, and Lahore benches, with many of his judgments later upheld by the Supreme Court.
He was elevated to the Supreme Court on October 21, 2019. Notable among his contributions is his dissent in the July 12 reserved seats verdict and participation in the nine-member larger bench reviewing the presidential reference on the execution of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Beyond the courtroom, Justice Khan has contributed extensively to legal education as an examiner and lecturer at University Law College, Multan, and has served on the syndicates of multiple institutions, including the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore.