New FCC registrar appointed; Justice KK Agha to take oath tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice (CJ) of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has appointed the registrar of the court, ARY News reported, citing sources.

The CJ has appointed former District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Hafeez as the Registrar of the Constitutional Court.

Additionally, he also appointed Mazhar Bhatti as Secretary to the CJ of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC).

Separately, Justice KK Agha will be sworn in as a Judge of the Federal Constitutional Court tomorrow (Saturday).

The CJ will administer the oath to him, and the swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Earlier, three Supreme Court judges took oath as judges of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in Islamabad on Friday, after President Asif Ali Zardari appointed the first batch of six judges to the newly established court.

Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court, Justice Amin Uddin Khan, administered the oath to Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.

The ceremony was attended by Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges and Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan.

IHC judges present included Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, Justice Muhammad Asif, and Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas.

However, five IHC judges — Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — did not attend the oath-taking ceremony.

The Ministry of Law and Human Rights issued an official notification confirming the appointment of six judges to the FCC.

According to the notification, the appointments were made by President Zardari on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and in consultation with FCC Chief Justice Amin Uddin Khan.

The appointed judges include Supreme Court Justices Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Aamer Farooq, and Ali Baqar Najafi; Sindh High Court’s Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha; and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech.

Justice (retd) Arshad Hussain Shah has also been appointed to the FCC, replacing Justice Musarrat Hilali, who declined the position.

Earlier, Justice Amin Uddin Khan was sworn in on Friday as the first Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Justice Amin has been appointed for a three-year term under the recently passed 27th Constitutional Amendment, which established the new judicial institution.

President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath during a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi were also present.