I SERVED the Inter State Gas Systems (ISGS), a company operating under the administrative control of Pakistan’s Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), for more than 20 years as a regular employee working on strategic national projects. Despite having an unblemished service record, my services were terminated abruptly under a rightsizing/restructuring exercise. The decision was implemented without any prior notice. Employees affected by such measures could have been considered for placement in other state-owned entities, or provided with a fair compensation package, but nothing of the sort was done.

Following my termination, I, along with several other affected employees, sought legal relief through the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Although interim relief was initially granted, the petition was ultimately dismissed.

Having exhausted the available legal remedies, I continue to face the conse-quences of unemployment and financial uncertainty. Today, at the age of 52, I remain unemployed and without a stable source of income. This has placed my family and me under significant financial and emotional strain.

I firmly believe that all long-serving employees who have devoted their careers to public service deserve fair treatment, dignity, and reasonable opportunities when organisational restructuring occurs.

Aqeel Ahmad
Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2026