SHC restores SBP employee dismissed over rare heart condition
- By Asghar Umer -
- Jun 01, 2026
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday suspended the termination of a female employee of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and ordered her reinstatement, ruling that she could not be declared medically unfit solely because of a rare congenital heart condition known as dextrocardia.
The petitioner, Iman Gulzar, had approached the court after being dismissed from her job allegedly due to the position of her heart, which is located on the right side of her chest instead of the left.
During the hearing, her counsel argued that the State Bank had terminated her employment after medical examinations revealed the congenital condition.
A constitutional bench comprising Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar and Justice Nisar Ahmed Bhanbhro heard the case and suspended the termination order.
The court directed the State Bank of Pakistan to immediately send the petitioner for training and issued notices to the SBP governor and other relevant officials.
In its observations, the court remarked that no individual could be declared ineligible solely on medical grounds without proper justification.
“The placement of the human heart on the right side is a congenital condition and can be entirely normal,” the court observed.
The SHC adjourned further proceedings in the case until August 2026.