Summary
- Lahore: The Lahore High Court has issued an important interim order in a petition concerning the regularization of contract employees of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) providing protection to the employees until the next hearing.
- During the hearing on September 14, 2026, Advocate Allah Nawaz Khosa argued that employees whose regularization process had already begun while the 2018 law was in force could not be denied their right to regularization merely because the law was later repealed.
- Some colleagues already regularized The petitioners counsel told the court that substantial steps had already been taken for the regularization of the employees while the law was in force while some of their colleagues had already been regularized.
Lahore: The Lahore High Court has issued an important interim order in a petition concerning the regularization of contract employees of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) providing protection to the employees until the next hearing.
- Issue of employee regularization
- Some colleagues already regularized
- Court issues interim order
- Case fixed for November 4
Justice Khalid Ishaq issued notices to the Punjab government and other respondents while hearing Writ Petition No. 52301/2026, Ghulam Hussain and others vs Government of Punjab and others. The petition was filed by PFSA contract employees through their counsel, Advocate Allah Nawaz Khosa.
Issue of employee regularization
The petitioners argue that the department refused to regularize their services citing the repeal of the Punjab Regularization of Service Act 2018. The 2018 law was repealed through the Punjab Regularization of Service (Repeal) Act 2025.
During the hearing on September 14, 2026, Advocate Allah Nawaz Khosa argued that employees whose regularization process had already begun while the 2018 law was in force could not be denied their right to regularization merely because the law was later repealed.
The lawyer also relied on the judgment in Mohsin Abbas and 40 others vs Secretary Communication and Works and others (2026 LHC 1419) which was upheld by a division bench of the Lahore High Court.
Some colleagues already regularized
The petitioners counsel told the court that substantial steps had already been taken for the regularization of the employees while the law was in force while some of their colleagues had already been regularized.
A letter issued by the department on January 21, 2024 was also presented before the court in this regard. Assistant Advocate General Imran Khan appeared before the court on behalf of the Punjab government.
Court issues interim order
After hearing the initial arguments, the court found that the issues regarding the maintainability of the petition required consideration and ordered notices to be issued to the respondents through ordinary means registered post and courier.
While hearing CM No. 1 of 2026, the court granted important interim relief to the petitioners and ordered: “Notice for the next date. If the petitioners are still working, they shall not be harassed.”
The court further directed that the petitioners should not be transferred on a lump-sum basis until the next hearing and that no adverse action should be taken against their employment.
Case fixed for November 4
The court also allowed the application seeking exemption from producing certified copies of the documents. The case has been fixed for further proceedings on November 4, 2026.
The interim protection granted to the petitioners will remain in place until the court’s final decision while the main legal dispute regarding their regularization will be considered in the upcoming hearings.
We welcome your contributions! Submit your blogs, opinion pieces, press releases, news story pitches, and news features to opinion@minutemirror.com.pk and minutemirrormail@gmail.com
