The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday, while declaring the notification issued by the Sindh government to remove judges of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) null and void, also annulled the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) verdict dated December 22, 2025. The verdict, authored by Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, stated that the new age limit of 65 years did not apply to the judges appointed prior to an amendment to the Sindh Anti-Terrorism Act, 2025  The verdict read that ATC judge Muhammad Yameen would complete his 2.5 years term.  It was further stated that the Sindh Anti-Terrorism Act, 2025 did not have a retrospective effect. 

Muhammad Yameen had been appointed as ATC judge under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 on September 19, 2024 for two and a half years. At that time, the applicant’s age was 70 years, and no age limit had been specified for the appointment of a judge. However, under the amended Act, the maximum age limit for appointment and remaining on the post was fixed at 65 years. This prompted the Sindh government to immediately remove three judges, including Yameen, from their posts. Later, the SHC had ratified the notification issued by the provincial government.  The FCC thus accepted the petition filed by Yameen.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)