| Federal Shariat Court | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Federal Shariat Court | |
 Flag of the Federal Shariat Court | |
| Established | 1980; 46 years ago (1980) |
| Jurisdiction |  Pakistan |
| Location | Constitution Avenue,Islamabad |
| Authorised by | Constitution of Pakistan |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of Pakistan |
| Judge term length | 3 years |
| Number of positions | 8 |
| Website | www |
| Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court | |
| Currently | Justice IqbalHameedur Rahman |
| Since | 1 June 2023 |
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|---|---|---|
Personal  | ||
TheFederal Shariat Court (FSC) is a constitutionalislamic religious court of theIslamic Republic of Pakistan, which has the power to examine and determine whether the laws of the country comply withSharia law. The court was established in 1980 during the government of thePresidentGeneral Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. It is located in the federal capital,Islamabad.[1][2] It hears appeals under theHudood Ordinances, a religious legislation in the country introduced in 1979.[3]
The Federal Shariat Court is the only authority which holds the constitutional power to prohibit and prevent the enactment of laws which are deemed to be un-Islamic by theparliament of Pakistan. It is predominantly focused on examining new or existinglaw of Pakistan. If a law violates theQuran,sunnah orhadith, the Shariat Court will prohibit its enactment.[4]
The current chief justice of Federal Shariat Court of Pakistan isHameedur Rahman.[5][6]
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It consists of eight Muslim judges appointed by thePresident of Pakistan on the advice of the Chief Justice of the Court, from amongst the serving or retired judges of theSupreme Court or aHigh Court or from amongst persons possessing the qualifications of High Court judges. Of the 8 judges, 3 are required to beUlema who are well versed inIslamic law. The judges hold office for a period of 3 years, which may eventually be extended by the President.
Appeal against its decisions lies to the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of 3 Muslim judges of the Supreme Court and 2 Ulema, appointed by the President. If any part of the law is declared to be against Islamic law, the government must take necessary steps to amend such law appropriately.
The court also exercises revisional jurisdiction over the criminal courts, decidingHudood cases. The decisions of the court are binding on the High Courts as well as subordinate judiciary. The court appoints its own staff and frames its own rules of procedure.
In March 1981, the court ruled in an adultery appeal thatstoning people to death was "repugnant to the injunctions of Islam," a decision that upset the ruling General Zia ul-Haq and Islamic revivalists. Zia ul-Haq then replaced several members of the court, and the above-mentioned decision was reversed.[7]
In 1982, the Federal Shariat Court ruled that there is no prohibition in theQur'an orHadith about the judgeship of a woman nor any restriction limiting the function of deciding disputes to men only.[8] In 2013Ashraf Jehan became the first female justice of the Federal Shariat Court.[9]
In 2016,Provincial Assembly of the Punjab passed a legislature, the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act 2016. Soon after its passing, it was challenged in Federal Shariat Court.[10]
In February 2017, the court issued its ruling ontest-tube babies and validated its use conditionally.The Nation reported, "The Federal Shariat Court yesterday declared the option of using 'test tube baby' method for conceiving babies for the married couples having some medical complications as lawful."[11][12]
The fact that lawyers make up a permanent majority of judges of the court, outnumbering Islamic ulama, has been credited with the court finding "technical flaws in every stoning and amputation appeal that it has ever heard", preventing the carrying out of sentences amputating limbs and killing by stoning.[7]
| Sr. No | Name | Designation | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rahman | Chief Justice | 1 June 2023[1][2] |
| 2 | Justice Dr. Syed Muhammad Anwer[13] | Aalim Judge | 16 May 2022 |
| 3 | Justice Khadim Hussain M. Shaikh[13] | Judge | 27 March 2021 |
| 4 | Justice Ameer Muhammad Khan[13] | Judge | 26 March 2024 |
| 5 | Vacant | ||
| 6 | Vacant | ||
| 7 | Vacant | ||
| 8 | Vacant |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
