SC’s historical verdict: married daughter eligible for govt job after father’s demise

ISLAMABAD: In a landmark verdict, Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) Justice Mansoor Ali Shah has ruled in favour of a female plaintiff for being eligible for a government job after her father’s death. The petition was heard by a two-member bench comprising Justice Mansoor and Justice Athar Minallah.

The Supreme Court ruled that marriage of a woman has nothing to do with her eligibility to be given the government job after the death of a serving government officer. “Daughter, like son, can be given a job after father’s demise,” Justice Mansoor ruled.

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While hearing the case of Zahida Parveen, the daughter of a government employee, being deprived of her father’s job after his death, Justice Mansoor asked that if a son can succeed his father even after marriage, then why the same law does not apply to a daughter? “Women’s marriage has nothing to do with their economic independence,” he added.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advocate General argued that according to the decision of former Chief Justice Faez Isa, jobs cannot be given to children of government employees on preferential basis. To this Justice Mansoor replied that Justice Isa’s decision is from 2024, while the current case predates it.

“This decision of the Supreme Court does not apply from the past,” Justice Mansoor said. The Advocate General responded that the woman is already married and therefore is not eligible for a job in place of her father.

Justice Mansoor remarked, “In which law is it written that if a daughter gets married, she is not eligible for a job after her father’s death?” The Advocate General replied that the woman has been removed through a notification under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Service Act.

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Angered, Justice Mansoor said, “Now will a section officer interpret the law on his own?”

He added that he will give a detailed verdict on the economic autonomy of women and the Supreme Court’s decision.

Afterwards, the Supreme Court disposed of the case and declared Zahida Parveen eligible for job in place of her deceased father.