Islamabad (Web Desk): Two more judges of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) took their oaths in Islamabad on Monday, further filling out the ranks of the newly established judicial body.
FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan administered the oath to Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Arshad Hussain Shah, both of whom pledged to remain faithful to the Constitution.
Their joining comes shortly after four other FCC judges — Justices Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Aamer Farooq, Ali Baqar Najafi and KK Agha — were sworn in over the weekend.
Earlier, sources revealed that Justice Arshad Hussain Shah was brought on board after it became known that Supreme Court’s (SC) Justice Musarrat Hilali was not inclined to serve on the FCC.
Justice Aminuddin Khan’s own appointment as the court’s first chief justice was made by President Asif Ali Zardari last week, following the president’s approval of the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The court’s initial composition has been set through a presidential order, while any expansion in the number of judges in the future will have to be endorsed by Parliament through new legislation.
As per the government officials, the FCC has been created to ease pressure on the Supreme Court, speed up decisions on constitutional matters, and bolster the independence and credibility of the judicial system.
The FCC formally began its work on Friday, operating under temporary arrangements until a permanent building is finalised.