ISLAMABAD: The inauguration of Pakistan’s newly-formed Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has sparked a growing dispute over office and courtroom space, with calls to relocate the court from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) building to its originally-designated premises in the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) building.
The situation has been described by legal observers as resembling a “joint family squeezed into an old ancestral home,” with both courts and their staff expressing concerns over inadequate space and overlapping requirements. The IHC Bar Association (IHCBA) has demanded that the FCC vacate its temporary location in the IHC building, insisting the Shariat Court premises must serve as the court’s permanent home. Bar leaders also warned that any attempt to move the IHC itself would face “determined legal and democratic resistance.”
The FCC was reintroduced under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, following its earlier inclusion in the 26th Amendment package. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reportedly earmarked the FSC building as the FCC’s permanent site days before the amendment was tabled in Parliament. However, FSC judges were not consulted in the process. Under the plan, four FSC judges and 56 pending petitions were to be relocated temporarily to the IHC’s third floor, while the Capital Development Authority (CDA) prepared renovated courtrooms for the FCC. The FSC administration resisted, preventing CDA teams from taking possession.
FSC Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and other judges met with Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi to express concerns over the abrupt directive, noting that even in ordinary tenancy, vacating a building would allow for at least a month’s notice.
Islamabad judiciary wary as newly formed Federal Constitutional Court could potentially usurp its coveted Constitution Avenue. https://t.co/LjE5f1jYqw
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 24, 2025
Cramped Premises and Logistical Challenges
With the FSC building still unavailable, the FCC’s oath-taking ceremonies have been conducted at the IHC in cramped spaces. The initial ceremony on November 14 was held in an open area at the high court, while subsequent ceremonies were conducted in a conference room accommodating only 25–30 people. Seven courtrooms were temporarily allocated for FCC operations, but staff brought in from the Supreme Court have increased space pressures. Courtroom allocations have also caused unease, with the FCC chief justice assigned a courtroom previously used by an IHC judge, raising concerns over potential administrative overreach.
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Bar Divided on the Issue
IHCBA President Wajid Ali Gilani reiterated that the FCC’s presence in the IHC building must remain temporary, urging relocation first to the Supreme Court building and ultimately to the FSC. He emphasized that public buildings must operate according to constitutional norms rather than administrative convenience.
In contrast, the Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) welcomed relocating the IHC to its former Sector G-10 premises, arguing that it would improve access to justice for lawyers and litigants. IBA President Chaudhry Naeem Ali Gujjar described the move as a “practical and long-awaited step” to facilitate the legal community.
As the dispute continues, legal circles remain watchful, emphasizing that the resolution must balance institutional independence, logistical practicality, and the broader interests of Pakistan’s judiciary.
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