SC emphasises woman’s dignity, rejects ex-IB employee’s appeal

The Supreme Court of Pakistan emphasized the dignity of women in a ruling that dismissed an appeal from a former Intelligence Bureau (IB) employee. Justice Ayesha A. Malik, along with Justice Shahid Waheed, ruled that the dignity of a woman, regardless of her role as a wife, sister, daughter, mother, or citizen, is a fundamental constitutional value.

Jawad Abbasi, who once worked as a cook in the IB, filed an appeal against a Federal Service Tribunal (FST) order. The FST had upheld his compulsory retirement in June 2024 following departmental proceedings initiated under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020. Abbasi was accused of setting his wife on fire, among other allegations of ill-mannered and short-tempered behavior. His departmental appeal was also dismissed by the FST.

Despite the lower court acquitting Abbasi in the criminal case, the apex court upheld the conviction. The judgment, authored by Justice Waheed, highlighted that the conduct of a civil servant extends beyond their official duties, encompassing their character, integrity, and private life. The court emphasized that violence, such as the alleged burning of Abbasi's wife, is not merely a private matter but a serious assault on human dignity.

The court noted that Article 25(3) of the Constitution allows for special provisions to protect women and cited relevant laws like the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act, 2016, and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2020. Pakistan is also a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which recognizes violence against women as a form of discrimination that the state must eradicate.

Justice Waheed stated, "The burning of women in their homes, frequently passed off as a kitchen or stove accident or as attempted suicide, is a grave and recurring social evil in this country."