LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed a petition challenging the award of civil honours to government officials. The court declared the petition inadmissible for hearing.
Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad wrote the 11-page verdict on a petition filed by Ashba Kamran, which the court described as legally unsustainable.
The court ruled that salaried government employees can receive civil awards for providing extraordinary services to the public.
However, it clarified that holding an official position or government job alone does not qualify an employee for a civil award.
Court clarifies authority over civil honours
The LHC stated that the president and relevant authorities hold the legal power to confer civil awards.
It also rejected the argument that all civil awards granted previously should be declared null and void.
According to the verdict, a constitutional amendment does not invalidate awards granted before October 2024.
Furthermore, the court said it could not replace the executive branch’s policy with its own policy regarding civil awards.
The bench also rejected a request seeking a general audit of the entire civil awards system.
The petitioner had approached the high court against the approval of civil awards for bureaucrats and ministers.
She questioned the legal basis for granting such honours to serving government officials.
However, the court found no legal grounds to accept the challenge for hearing.
The verdict has been described as a judicial precedent concerning the eligibility of government employees for civil awards.
The court’s ruling also clarified the distinction between holding public office and earning recognition through extraordinary public service.
The decision provides legal guidance on the authority responsible for granting civil awards and the status of awards issued before constitutional changes.
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