Chief Justice Yahya Afridi is set to visit the UK, South Korea and Japan, while FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan will travel to Azerbaijan for a constitutional courts conference.
ISLAMABAD – WEB DESK: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved overseas visits for Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement reported by Dawn on October 13.
The approvals include ex-Pakistan leave and no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the two judicial leaders to undertake their scheduled international engagements.
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi to Visit Three Countries
According to the Presidency’s statement, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi is scheduled to visit the United Kingdom, South Korea and Japan during two periods: October 14–21 and October 27–November 4, 2026.
The announcement confirmed the approved destinations and dates but did not specify which country corresponds to each travel period.
FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan to Attend Azerbaijan Conference
FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan is scheduled to visit Azerbaijan from October 19 to 22 to attend TÜRK-AY, a conference bringing together constitutional courts and institutions exercising constitutional jurisdiction across the Turkic world.
The Federal Constitutional Court was admitted as an observer to TÜRK-AY in July 2026, approximately four years after the forum was established.
President’s Authority to Approve Leave
Under the applicable rules governing leave, pensions and privileges for the two courts, the president is the competent authority to approve leave for the chief justices of the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court. The chief justices exercise the corresponding authority over leave requests from other judges of their respective courts.
Previous International Judicial Engagements
The two judicial leaders have previously represented Pakistan at international legal and judicial forums.
In April 2025, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi led a delegation to the 20th Conference of Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states in Hangzhou, China.
In June 2026, Justice Aminuddin Khan represented Pakistan at the 14th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum in Russia.
The latest approvals formalise the two chief justices’ upcoming overseas engagements. The reported announcement did not provide further details about their individual itineraries or any changes to court schedules during their absences.
