Historic Appointment: Justice Aminuddin Khan Heads Pakistan's New Federal Constitutional Court

Justice Aminuddin Khan has been appointed as the first Chief Justice of Pakistan's newly-established Federal Constitutional Court. The creation of this court follows the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment, which changes the jurisdictional focus of the existing Supreme Court and has sparked judicial resignations.

Justice Aminuddin Khan, a Supreme Court judge, has been appointed as the first Chief Justice of Pakistan's newly-established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), according to a Thursday announcement.

The appointment was approved by President Asif Ali Zardari on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This significant development follows the signing of the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment into law, which necessitated the formation of the FCC.

The new court will handle constitutional matters, while the Supreme Court will focus on traditional civil and criminal cases. The amendment has also shifted the power of taking suo motu notices to the FCC, prompting protests and resignations by senior judges over concerns about judicial independence.

(With inputs from agencies.)