The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court struck down a Punjab government ruling that stopped family pensions for unmarried, divorced, and widowed daughters following the death of their civil servant parents, mandating that payments resume for all impacted women.
Justice Ahsan Raza Kazmi delivered the reserved judgment regarding a challenge brought by Falak Shah and Tanveer Sohail Shah, who previously led the District Bar Association Rawalpindi. The bench dismissed the submissions and evidence put forward by the assistant advocate general and the Punjab Finance Department.
A 2024 directive from the Finance Department restricted family pension qualifications exclusively to widows. Consequently, thousands of daughters connected to civil servants spanning 42 government departments in Punjab lost their financial support.
Lawyers representing the petitioners pointed out that unmarried, widowed, and divorced daughters retain their pension rights throughout every other province in Pakistan, whereas the directive stripped Punjab women of this benefit.
They contended that the policy breached Article 25 of the Constitution, which ensures equal rights for all citizens, and constituted biased treatment against daughters living in the province. The bench agreed with these points, struck down the directive, and directed the revival of family pensions for every qualified daughter across Punjab.
