President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday approved the appointment of Justice Aminuddin Khan as the first Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court, marking a major step in implementing the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

The Law Ministry has issued the official notification of his appointment following the President’s approval. Justice Aminuddin will head the newly created court, which replaces the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench under the amendment.

Justice Aminuddin earlier served as head of the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench, which is being reconstituted into the new Federal Constitutional Court.

His appointment marks the formal operationalisation of the court, a landmark reform aimed at separating constitutional matters from the Supreme Court’s regular judicial work.

According to sources, the oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday morning, where President Zardari will administer the oath.

Chief Justice Yahya Afridi has also organised a dinner for Justice Aminuddin, which will be attended by Supreme Court judges.

Justice Aminuddin, who currently heads the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench, is due to retire on November 30. His appointment to the new court effectively extends his judicial tenure.

The formation of the Federal Constitutional Court stems from the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which replaced the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench with a separate constitutional court.

The amendment has already been approved by both Houses of Parliament and signed into law by the president.

Under the revised Article 176, the existing Chief Justice will continue as Chief Justice of Pakistan until completion of the current term, while the senior-most among the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court will serve as Chief Justice of Pakistan thereafter.