ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has held that employees of Cantonment Boards are not civil servants and therefore, the Federal Service Tribunal has no jurisdiction to hear their appeals.
A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, had concluded hearings on November 25, 2025, in an appeal filed by the Executive Officer of the Sialkot Cantonment Board against the Tribunal’s decision.
In an eight-page written judgment authored by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, the SC set aside the Federal Service Tribunal’s decision dated November 20, 2023, and ordered a fresh inquiry against a Cantonment Board employee, Qaiser Mahmood. It also directed the Sialkot Cantonment Board authorities to complete the new inquiry within three months.
The SC verdict clarified that, following the omission of Section 2-A from the Service Tribunals Act, Cantonment employees can no longer approach this forum for redress, as all their service matters are governed under the Pakistan Cantonment Servants Rules, 1954.
If such employees wish to challenge departmental action, they may only approach the relevant High Court under Article 199 of the Constitution. The judgment states that this is the correct exposition of law: where an employee is governed and regulated by statutory service rules, he may approach the High Court in its writ jurisdiction for the redressal of grievances.
According to the judgment, Qaiser Mahmood, an employee of the Sialkot Cantonment Board was dismissed from service on charges of renting out official accommodation and absenteeism. During the hearing, Cantonment Board authorities assured the Court that a fresh inquiry would be conducted. The Supreme Court directed that the new inquiry be completed within three months and that the employee be given a full opportunity to defend himself. The SC further held that if the affected employee has any grievance after the fresh inquiry, he may approach the High Court under the Pakistan Cantonment Servants Rules, 1954.
