The Supreme Court has ruled that a daughter is eligible to succeed her father’s government job, rejecting the argument that marriage affects a woman's right to employment.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, heard the case regarding the job rights of petitioner Zahida Parveen, who was dismissed from her position following her father’s death.
During the hearing, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) advocate general argued that the petitioner was ineligible for the job as she was married. However, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah strongly disagreed, questioning, "In which law is it written that if a daughter gets married, she is not eligible for a job after the death of her father?"
Justice Shah further stated that a son can succeed his father in a government job even after marriage, so the same principle should apply to a daughter. He emphasized that marriage has no connection with a woman’s economic independence.
The court dismissed the government’s argument and ruled in favour of Zahida Parveen, declaring her eligible for the job. The case was disposed of after accepting her petition.
The KP government’s lawyer stated that Zahida Parveen had been removed from her position under a notification issued under the KP Civil Service Act. However, Justice Shah criticized this move, asking, "How did you first appoint her and then dismiss her? Will a section officer interpret the law on his own?"
During the hearing, the KP advocate general referenced former chief justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s ruling, stating that government jobs should not be given to children on a preferential basis. However, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah clarified that the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision does not apply to past cases, including the present one.
He also announced that the court would issue a detailed ruling addressing the economic independence of women and its relation to job succession laws in Pakistan.
