Federal Constitutional Court Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan said on Tuesday that the judiciary must remain firmly anchored in constitutional principles while simultaneously developing the institutional capacity required to meet modern challenges.
Speaking at an event in Islamabad, Justice Aminuddin reflected on the FCC’s first 10 months, saying the newly established court had been required to build its judicial and administrative structure while performing its constitutional responsibilities at the same time.
The FCC was established under the 27th Constitutional Amendment in November 2025 as a separate constitutional forum. Its jurisdiction includes specified inter-governmental disputes, constitutional questions and fundamental-rights matters falling within its constitutional mandate. Cases within its jurisdiction were also transferred from the Supreme Court under the new framework.
Justice Aminuddin said the institution effectively began from scratch. Once its judges had taken their oaths, three benches immediately started hearing cases rather than waiting for the court’s administrative infrastructure to be fully developed.
The court initially operated from the Islamabad High Court building before moving to its present premises by the end of its second month. According to the chief justice, the current building was constructed about 46 years ago for approximately 100 employees but now accommodates nearly 400 officials and attached staff.
Despite limited space and officials working in improvised cabins and compact workstations, Justice Aminuddin said judicial and administrative work had continued. He emphasised that institutions depend not merely on buildings but on the commitment, discipline and collective efforts of the people working within them.
Alongside its judicial work, the FCC has established an information technology directorate and specialised structures dealing with research and publications, judicial translation and language assistance, training and capacity building, media and public relations, coordination and other institutional functions.
The court has also organised its procurement and finance mechanisms, library services, general administration, security, engineering and building management.
Justice Aminuddin noted that when the FCC was established on November 14, 2025, it did not have its own service rules or practice and procedure rules and therefore initially relied on relevant Supreme Court rules under the constitutional framework.
The FCC Establishment Service Rules 2026 and Procurement Procedure 2026 have since been notified, while the chief justice said the court’s Practice and Procedure Rules 2026 had been approved and were expected to be notified shortly.
He argued that these administrative developments were directly connected to the quality of justice. Research strengthens judicial reasoning, translation improves access to justice, technology supports efficiency and transparency, and institutional training strengthens professional capacity.
The chief justice maintained that effective administration enables courts to exercise their constitutional responsibilities with independence and dignity. His central message was that institutional modernisation must proceed without departing from constitutional boundaries.
