The Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that pensions and pensionary benefits are the lawful and fundamental legal right of retired employees.
The FCC has issued a nine-page written judgement authored by Justice Arshad Hussain. The judgement stated that pensions and retirement benefits cannot be withheld without the order of a competent court.
It added that any unnecessary delay in payment will amount to a violation of the law and may be treated as contempt of court.
The FCC ruled that if no appeal or review is filed against a judicial order within the prescribed time, the order becomes final. A delayed review cannot later be challenged through a constitutional petition.
Moreover, the FCC also directed the implementation of the Labour Court's decision to reinstate dismissed private bank driver Muhammad Akram with all his previous benefits.
The judgement stated that it is regrettable that the Labour Court's ruling has remained unenforced for 17 years.
