ISLAMABAD: The newly established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has formally adopted the Supreme Court Rules 2025, mutatis mutandis, for its practice and procedure until it drafts its own regulations. The decision was taken unanimously in a full court meeting held on Nov 17 and approved by the FCC chief justice, with immediate implementation notified to all relevant institutions.
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Under the interim arrangement, all cases, appeals and petitions before the FCC will be heard by benches comprising no fewer than two judges, while appeals arising from division bench decisions will go before benches of at least three judges. The notification also confirms that senior advocates and advocates of the Supreme Court may appear before the FCC in equivalent roles on a provisional basis.
Meanwhile, uncertainty over the relocation of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) eased temporarily after Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Syed Wajid Ali Gillani announced that the court would remain at its Constitution Avenue premises “for now.” The assurance came following a meeting with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and was echoed by IHC Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar.
The development comes amid a backdrop of friction, as the FCC begins operations inside the IHC building — a move triggered by resistance from Federal Shariat Court judges who declined to shift from their original location. The shared premises have led to internal reshuffling, allocation of courtrooms to the FCC, and growing unease among IHC judges, some of whom boycotted recent oath-taking ceremonies of FCC judges.
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High-level meetings between the FCC chief justice, the law minister, the attorney general, and the IHC chief justice have been held to ease the tensions. Yet speculation remains rife within legal circles, with rumours of potential resignations among IHC judges persisting. The reshuffle has already displaced key offices, including those of the Attorney General of Pakistan and the advocate general of Islamabad, to accommodate the new apex court.