The Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court, Aminuddin Khan, has approved a significant increase in allowances for court employees, raising judicial and utility allowances by up to 50 per cent of the current basic salary.
According to an office order issued following the approval, the revised allowances will take immediate effect for all employees.
However, they will not be admissible during periods of extraordinary leave. The Additional Registrar (Admin) stated that the expenditure will be met from the allocated budget for the fiscal year 2025–26.
Separately, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has expressed strong displeasure over contradictory statements by the federal government regarding employee dismissal and absenteeism, setting aside a decision of the Federal Service Tribunal.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, in a written judgment in the case of former Ministry of Commerce employee Arsalan Ahmed, remanded the matter back to the tribunal for a fresh decision.
The apex court raised a key legal question in its ruling: if an employee is to be dismissed, what is the rationale for converting their period of absence into leave? The court noted that converting the absence into unpaid leave alongside dismissal undermines the legal basis for termination.
The judgment also highlighted inconsistencies in the federal government’s stance, noting that the matter was initially described as an error by a deputy secretary but was later acknowledged to have been approved by the Secretary of Commerce.
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