The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench has overruled the Punjab government policy restricting family pension benefits to divorced and widow daughters, ruling that the move was unconstitutional.
The court has directed the provincial government to restore pension payments to women affected by the decision, including eligible divorced, widowed and unmarried daughters of deceased government employees.
Justice Ahsan Raza Kazmi announced the verdict while hearing a petition filed by Falak Shah, who challenged the termination of her family pension.
The dispute followed a notification issued by the Punjab Finance Department in 2024, which restricted family pension benefits to widows.
Following the policy change, pension payments to certain divorced, widowed and unmarried daughters were reportedly stopped across 42 government institutions in Punjab.
The affected women had relied on pensions received through their deceased parents as a source of financial support.
During the proceedings, the court considered arguments from government authorities, including the Punjab Finance Department and the Advocate General of Punjab.
It rejected the government’s position and ruled that depriving eligible daughters of family pension benefits was contrary to constitutional requirements.
The court subsequently ordered the provincial government to restore payments to women entitled to the benefits.
The ruling is expected to provide relief to women whose pensions were discontinued under the 2024 policy.
Relevant provincial departments will need to take steps to implement the court’s directions and process payments in line with the judgment.
However, individual cases may require verification of eligibility, service records and previous pension payments.
Affected women and their families should keep copies of pension documents, payment records and correspondence with government departments.
The certified judgment and any subsequent government instructions are expected to clarify how the restoration process will apply to individual cases.
The decision has implications for family pension entitlements across Punjab, particularly for women who depended on financial support from deceased government employees.
