ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court has affirmed that pension and related retirement benefits are a basic legal right of employees, ruling that such payments must not be withheld without an order from a competent court. The court clarified that pension is not a discretionary privilege or favor granted by employers, but a rightful entitlement earned through years of service. Addressing previous rulings, the judgment referenced multiple Supreme Court decisions condemning delays in pension payments, warning that ignoring court directives regarding pension disbursements could constitute contempt of court. Despite a Labour Court order for his reinstatement along with benefits, the ruling remained unfulfilled for 17 years. The judgment reaffirmed that both public and private sector employers are legally obligated to comply with final court orders and cannot deny employees their lawful retirement or service benefits through administrative delays.