Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan is the first Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan (FCCP).
He was appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari and took the oath of office on November 14, 2025, following the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which formally established the specialized court.
Key details:
More About Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan (FCCP)
The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan (FCCP) is a specialized judicial institution established through the 27th Constitutional Amendment, passed in November 2025. It was created to handle all matters related to the interpretation of the Constitution, a role previously held by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Established: November 13, 2025.
Headquarters: Islamabad (initially operating from the Federal Shariat Court building).
Objective: To streamline constitutional adjudication, reduce the massive backlog of cases in the Supreme Court, and ensure a dedicated forum for interpreting the supreme law of the land.
The FCCP holds exclusive jurisdiction over several key areas:
Constitutional Interpretation: It is the final authority on the meaning and application of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Inter-Governmental Disputes: It adjudicates legal conflicts between the Federal Government and Provincial Governments, or between different provinces.
Fundamental Rights: It hears cases of public importance regarding the enforcement of Fundamental Rights (formerly the suo motu and Article 184(3) jurisdiction of the Supreme Court).
Appellate Authority: It hears appeals from High Courts specifically involving "substantial questions of law" related to the Constitution.
First Chief Justice: Justice Aminuddin Khan (took oath on November 14, 2025). He previously served as a Justice of the Supreme Court and headed its Constitutional Bench.
Judge Representation: The court is designed to include judges from all four provinces and the Islamabad Capital Territory to ensure equal regional representation.
Retirement Age: Judges of the FCCP retire at 68 years, which is slightly higher than the retirement age for Supreme Court judges (65).
With the creation of the FCCP, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has effectively been transitioned into a "Court of Cassation" or a general appellate court. It no longer handles constitutional petitions or interpretations, focusing instead on civil, criminal, and other non-constitutional legal matters.
The first "batch" of judges was appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. Subsequent appointments are managed by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), which now includes a mix of judges, members of Parliament, and the Federal Law Minister.
More About Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan
Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan is a prominent Pakistani jurist who currently serves as the first Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCCP) of Pakistan.
His appointment on November 14, 2025, followed the landmark passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which established the FCCP as the highest authority for constitutional matters in the country.
Early Career: Born in Multan on December 1, 1960, he is a second-generation lawyer. He began his legal practice in 1985 under his father, Khan Sadiq Muhammad Ahsan, specializing in civil law (property, inheritance, and pre-emption).
High Court: He was elevated to the Lahore High Court (LHC) in May 2011, where he gained a reputation for clearing a massive backlog of thousands of civil cases.
Supreme Court: He became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in October 2019.
Constitutional Leadership: In November 2024, he was chosen to head the Supreme Court's newly formed Constitutional Bench under the 26th Amendment. This role served as a precursor to his current position as Chief Justice of the independent Federal Constitutional Court.
Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan has been central to several high-profile and historically significant cases:
Military Trials of Civilians: He headed the bench that restored the government's ability to try civilians in military courts under the Pakistan Army Act (overturning a previous Supreme Court ruling).
Reserved Seats Case: He presided over the bench that issued a detailed verdict regarding the allocation of reserved seats for political parties in the National and Provincial assemblies.
Article 63-A Review: He was part of the unanimous decision that reviewed the "defection clause," impacting how lawmakers' votes are counted during no-confidence motions.
Beyond the courtroom, he has been an educator and a lecturer at University Law College, Multan. In his youth, he was a notable Boy Scout, representing Pakistan at the 1977 Asian Jamboree in Iran, for which he received a sash from the President of Pakistan.
Current Status: As the head of the FCCP, he now oversees all matters related to the interpretation of the Constitution, while the Supreme Court (currently led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi) focuses primarily on civil and criminal appeals.
