Islamabad High Court Bans Religion-Based Job Ads For Sanitation Workers

Islamabad: Islamabad High Court has declared advertisements for sweepers and sanitary workers based on religion or community to be unconstitutional, illegal, and derogatory. The court has barred federal and provincial governments as well as private institutions from publishing such discriminatory job advertisements in the future. 

The verdict was delivered by Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas on a petition filed by the Centre for Rule of Law Islamabad and the Pakistan United Christian Movement. The court ruled that restricting any public or private employment to a specific religion or community—particularly the Christian community—constitutes a blatant violation of Articles 25, 27, and 36 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantee equality, non-discrimination in public service, and the protection of minorities.

The court observed that job advertisements published in newspapers using phrases such as “only Christian candidates” or “Christians will be preferred” for positions like sweepers or sanitary workers not only violate the fundamental rights of religious minorities but also seriously undermine their dignity and self-respect.

In its detailed judgment, the court stated that classifying jobs on the basis of religion effectively confines minorities to specific, low-status occupations, reinforcing harmful stereotypes, social prejudice, and systemic discrimination. Referring to the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in the Mubarak Ali Babar case, the court emphasized that human dignity is the “crown of fundamental rights” and is non-negotiable under any circumstances.

The Islamabad High Court categorically held that neither the Constitution nor any existing law permits making religion a condition for employment. Such practices, the court said, are fundamentally inconsistent with the constitutional principle of equal citizenship and the concept of a democratic and inclusive state.

The court directed the Federal Ministry of Human Rights, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, and all provincial Chief Secretaries to immediately issue instructions to their respective departments to ensure that no government or private entity publishes religion-based discriminatory job advertisements in the future.

Additionally, the Ministry of Law and Justice was ordered to initiate the process of drafting new legislation or amending existing laws to strengthen legal protections for minority rights and prevent discriminatory employment practices.

The court further instructed all concerned parties to submit compliance reports within 30 days.

The judgment is being widely welcomed as a major step toward ending institutionalized discrimination, protecting minority rights, and upholding constitutional values of equality, dignity, and social justice in Pakistan.