The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that employees working under cantonment boards are not classified as civil servants, meaning their service-related appeals cannot be heard by the Federal Service Tribunal.
The court also nullified a previous ruling issued by the tribunal on November 20, 2023. In its judgment, the apex court explained that following the omission of Section 2-A from the Service Tribunals Act, cantonment board employees are no longer entitled to seek remedies through the Federal Service Tribunal.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, who authored the detailed verdict, stated that employment matters concerning cantonment board staff are regulated under the Pakistan Cantonment Servants Rules, 1954.
The ruling further clarified that individuals affected by departmental decisions can instead file petitions before the relevant high court under Article 199 of the Constitution for legal recourse.
