The Federal Constitutional Court moved a step closer to full functioning as three newly appointed judges were sworn in at a formal ceremony held at the Islamabad High Court on Friday. The oath was administered by Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan, who assumed office earlier this week as the court’s first chief justice.

Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi took their oaths in the presence of senior members of the judiciary, legal officers and representatives of the bar. The event marked another milestone in the operationalization of Pakistan’s newly established constitutional court.

The ceremony was attended by several prominent judges, including Justice Arbab Tahir, Justice Khadim Soomro, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, Justice Muhammad Asif and Justice Inam Amin Minhas. Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Punjab Advocate General Amjad Pervez and other law officers were also present, along with Islamabad High Court Bar Association leaders Wajid Gilani and Manzoor Jajja.

However, five judges of the Islamabad High Court did not attend the ceremony. Those absent included Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq and Justice Saman Riffat.

A notification for the appointment of six judges to the Federal Constitutional Court had been issued earlier. In addition to the three sworn in, the list included Justice Karim Khan Agha, Justice Rozi Khan and Arshad Hussain of the Peshawar High Court.

Earlier on Friday, Justice Aminuddin Khan was formally sworn in as the first chief justice of the Federal Constitutional Court in a ceremony administered by President Asif Ali Zardari. The event, attended by Field Marshal Asim Munir, federal ministers and other dignitaries, marked the official start of the court’s leadership structure.

Officials confirmed that Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan will sit in Courtroom No. 1 of the Islamabad High Court, while IHC Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar will shift to Courtroom No. 2.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Musarrat Hilali declined the offer to join the Federal Constitutional Court, citing health-related concerns.