Lahore High Court Strikes Down Punjab’s Decision to End Family Pensions for Divorced, Widowed and Unmarried Daughters
RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court has declared null and void the Punjab government’s decision to discontinue family pensions for divorced, widowed and unmarried daughters of deceased government employees, directing the authorities to restore pension payments to all affected women.
In its detailed judgment, the court ruled that depriving daughters of family pensions after the death of their parents was inconsistent with the fundamental rights and social protection guarantees provided under the Constitution of Pakistan.
The verdict was delivered by Justice Ahsan Raza Kazmi after concluding the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by an affected woman, Falak Shah.
The court directed the Punjab government to immediately restore family pension payments to all affected women, recognising their legal and constitutional rights.
During the proceedings, representatives of the Punjab Finance Department and the Advocate General’s Office presented various financial and administrative arguments in defence of the government’s policy. However, the court rejected the government’s position.
In its ruling, the court observed that the state was responsible for supporting vulnerable and deserving citizens rather than withdrawing their existing facilities and lawful financial entitlements.
بیوہ، طلاق یافتہ اور غیر شادی شدہ خواتین کی پنشن بحال https://t.co/I0Z5sElZZH
— Fiaz Mahmood (@FiazMahmood) October 29, 2026
The judgment further emphasised that financial difficulties or budget deficits could not justify depriving deserving members of society of their basic rights and means of subsistence.
Under an earlier decision by the Punjab Finance Department, family pension benefits had been restricted to the widows of deceased government employees. Consequently, pensions previously granted to eligible daughters, including unmarried and divorced women, were discontinued.
The policy affected beneficiaries of more than 42 government departments and institutions across Punjab.
The suspension of payments reportedly pushed thousands of financially vulnerable women, including those with disabilities, into severe economic hardship.
The Lahore High Court’s ruling provides legal relief to the affected women by directing the provincial government to reinstate their family pension benefits.
