ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Supreme Court has ruled that the legal right to the pension of a deceased retired employee can only be his widow, and siblings are not entitled to pension based on simply being a legal heir.
The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, issued a four-page judgment, upholding the decision of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and rejecting the appeal of the siblings of the deceased Peshawar Electric Power Company (PESCO) employee for issuance of a succession certificate for the pension benefits.
The apex court clarified that pension and post-retirement benefits of a deceased employee can only be claimed by the widow or another person specifically entitled under the applicable law.
The court clarified in its decision that pension payments are made according to the service rules and relevant laws of the relevant institution instead of inheritance laws.
The ruling distinguishes between inheritance rights and entitlement to pensionary benefits, making it clear that pension does not automatically become payable to every legal heir of a deceased employee.
The court emphasised that entitlement to pension is governed by the specific legal framework applicable to the employee and the institution concerned.
