Leave Application Format: Sick, Casual and Urgent Leave

A sick leave application in Pakistan is a short formal letter that tells your manager or principal you cannot come to work or school because you are ill, and asks for leave for specific dates. Here is the format, the leave rules for government and private jobs, and 10 ready samples you can copy and fill in: sick leave, casual leave, urgent leave, half-day leave, school applications, email format, an Urdu sample and a government medical leave application.

A good leave application is short. It gives the reason in one line, the exact start date, end date and return date, the total number of days, who will cover your work, and your phone number. The samples below follow that shape, and each one is written fresh for Pakistan’s rules.

Leave application format at a glance#

What is a leave application#

A leave application is a written request for permission to stay away from work or school for a stated period. It creates a record: your employer or school knows why you are absent, for how long, and who is covering your work. Without a written application, an absence is unrecorded, and in a government job it can be marked as absence from duty.

You need a leave application for sick leave, casual leave, urgent leave, half-day leave, earned leave and medical leave. The format is the same for all of them; only the reason, the dates and the attachments change.

The format: 7 parts of a leave application in Pakistan#

Every leave application in Pakistan has the same 7 parts, in this order. Follow them and your application will be accepted without questions.

1. Date: the date of writing, at the top of the letter.
2. Recipient: the name and designation of your manager, principal or Head of Department. If you do not know the name, write “The Manager” or “The Principal”. In a government job, send the application through the proper channel, which means through your immediate supervisor first.
3. Subject line: names the leave type and the dates, for example “Sick Leave Application from 10 to 12 November 2026”. A clear subject line is what gets the application read and filed correctly.
4. Salutation: “Respected Sir/Madam” or “Dear [Name]”.
5. Body: one clear reason in one or two sentences, the exact start date, end date and return date, the total number of days, who will cover your urgent work, and your contact number.
6. Attachments note: mention the medical certificate for sick or medical leave, or the exam schedule for exam leave, so the reader knows it is enclosed.
7. Closing and signature: “Thanking you”, then your full name, designation (or class and roll number for students) and contact number. A government application also gives the employee ID or personal number and the section.

For an email, use the same content. Put the leave type, your name and the dates in the subject line, and keep the body to 4 or 5 lines.

How many leaves do you get in Pakistan#

How many leaves you get in Pakistan depends on where you work. Government employees, factory workers and shop staff are covered by different rules, and the numbers are different in each case.

Casual leave lapses at the end of the year, and it cannot be combined with any other kind of leave or joining time. It can be combined with Sundays and public holidays, but the total period must not exceed 15 days at a time. In a factory in Sindh, sick leave is 16 days a year at full pay under the Sindh Factories Act 2015, which is better than the federal half-pay rate. No verified figure is published for Sindh or Balochistan government casual leave, so this guide does not give one.

Maternity leave is separate from the leave above: federal government employees get 180 days on the first birth under the Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023. Our maternity leave guide covers it in full. For the full government leave rules, including leave on half pay, leave not due and recreation leave, see our earned leave rules guide.

How to write a sick leave application for office in Pakistan#

To write a sick leave application for office in Pakistan, write a short formal letter with these parts:

• The date of the letter.
• The recipient of the letter.
• A subject line with the dates.
• One line giving the illness.
• The exact start date, end date and return date.
• The total number of days.
• Who will cover your work.
• Your phone number.

Attach the medical certificate, or say you will submit it on your return.

Sample 1: sick leave application for office (3 days, fever)

To,
The Manager,
[Company Name],
[City]

Subject: Sick Leave Application from 10 to 12 November 2026

Respected Sir,

I am writing to inform you that I am suffering from fever and my doctor has advised me to rest for three days. I request sick leave from 10 November 2026 to 12 November 2026, a total of 3 days. I will resume duty on 13 November 2026. I have attached my medical certificate with this application. [Colleague's name] will look after my urgent work during my absence. You can reach me on [phone number].

Thanking you,

[Your full name]
[Designation]
[Employee ID]
[Phone number]

Sample 2: one-day sick leave email

Subject: Sick Leave Request, [Your Name], [Date]

Respected Sir,

I woke up with a high fever today and cannot come to the office. I request one day of sick leave for [date]. I will resume duty tomorrow and will cover any pending work on my return. You can reach me on [phone number].

Thanking you,
[Your name]
[Designation]

Casual leave application format in Pakistan#

A casual leave application in Pakistan is a short letter that states the leave type, the dates and the total days, and names the person who will cover your work. In a government job it goes through the proper channel to the Head of Department, and it states how many days of casual leave you have in balance.

Sample 3: casual leave application for a government employee

To,
The Head of Department,
[Department Name],
[City]

Through proper channel

Subject: Application for Casual Leave from [start date] to [end date]

Respected Sir,

I request casual leave for [number] days, from [start date] to [end date], for [brief reason]. I have [number] days of casual leave in balance for this year. [Name and designation of alternate officer] will look after my work during my absence. I will stay at [address during leave] and can be contacted on [phone number].

Thanking you,

[Your full name]
[Designation]
[Employee ID / Personal number]
[Section]
[Date]

Urgent leave application format#

An urgent leave application is for a sudden emergency when you cannot apply in advance. Inform your manager by phone first, then send the written application the same day. State the reason briefly, without over-sharing personal details, and give your return date as soon as you know it.

Sample 4: urgent / emergency leave application

To,
The Manager,
[Company Name],
[City]

Subject: Urgent Leave Application for [date]

Respected Sir,

I have to leave for [city] today because of a family emergency. I request urgent leave for [number] days, from [start date]. I will inform you of my return date as soon as I know it. [Colleague's name] will handle my urgent work. I apologise for the short notice. You can reach me on [phone number].

Thanking you,

[Your full name]
[Designation]
[Phone number]

Half-day leave application format#

A half-day leave application states which half of the day you will be away, the reason, and the time you will return to the office. It is used for a doctor’s appointment, a bank visit or another short errand that cannot wait.

Sample 5: half-day leave application

To,
The Manager,
[Company Name],
[City]

Subject: Half-Day Leave Application for [date]

Respected Sir,

I request half-day leave on [date] for the [morning/afternoon] because I have a doctor's appointment. I will be in the office by [time] and will complete my pending work the same day. [Colleague's name] will cover my desk while I am away.

Thanking you,

[Your full name]
[Designation]
[Phone number]

Leave application for school and college in Pakistan#

A leave application for school or college in Pakistan is written by a parent for a young child, or by the student for himself or herself. It goes to the principal or class teacher, gives the student’s name, class and roll number, the dates, the reason, and a promise to complete the missed work.

Sample 6: leave application for school from a parent (child sick)

To,
The Principal,
[School Name],
[City]

Subject: Leave Application for [Child's name], Class [class]

Respected Sir/Madam,

My [son/daughter], [child's full name], of class [class], is suffering from [illness] and cannot attend school from [start date] to [end date]. I request leave for [number] days. [He/She] will complete the missed work on return. You can contact me on [phone number].

Thanking you,

[Parent's full name]
Parent of [child's name], Class [class]
[Phone number]

Sample 7: leave application for school or college from a student

To,
The Principal,
[School/College Name],
[City]

Subject: Leave Application for [start date] to [end date]

Respected Sir/Madam,

I am [your full name], a student of class [class], roll number [number]. I have been suffering from fever since [date] and my doctor has advised rest. I request leave from [start date] to [end date], a total of [number] days. I will complete the missed work after I return.

Thanking you,

[Your full name]
Class [class], Roll No. [number]
[Phone number]

Leave application email format in Pakistan#

A leave application email in Pakistan follows the same format as a letter, but the subject line carries the leave type, your name and the dates, and the body is kept to 4 or 5 lines. Use these subject lines and the short body below.

Sample 8: leave application email format

Subject: Sick Leave Application, [Your Name], [Dates]
Subject: Casual Leave Request, [Your Name], [Dates]
Subject: Half-Day Leave, [Your Name], [Date]

Respected Sir,

I request [sick/casual] leave for [number] days, from [start date] to [end date], because [one-line reason]. [Colleague's name] will cover my urgent work. You can reach me on [phone number].

Thanking you,
[Your name]
[Designation]

Urdu leave application#

An Urdu leave application follows the same format as an English one: the recipient, the subject, one line giving the reason, the dates and the total days, and the signature. The sample below is for a school student.

Sample 9: Urdu leave application

بخدمت جناب پرنسپل صاحب،
[اسکول کا نام]، [شہر]

موضوع: چھٹی کی درخواست

محترم جناب،
میں آپ سے گزارش کرتا ہوں کہ مجھے بخار ہے اور ڈاکٹر نے آرام کا مشورہ دیا ہے۔ براہ کرم مجھے [تاریخ] سے [تاریخ] تک [تعداد] دن کی چھٹی عطا فرمائیں۔ میں واپسی پر چھوٹا ہوا کام مکمل کروں گا۔

شکریہ،
[آپ کا نام]
جماعت [جماعت]، رول نمبر [نمبر]

Government medical and earned leave application#

A government medical leave application asks for leave on full pay on medical grounds under the Revised Leave Rules 1980. It goes through the proper channel to the sanctioning authority, attaches the medical certificate, and states the leave balance from the leave account. A medical certificate is what lifts the leave-on-full-pay maximum from 120 days to 180 days at a time.

Sample 10: medical / earned leave application for a government employee

To,
The [Sanctioning Authority / Head of Department],
[Department Name],
[City]

Through proper channel

Subject: Application for Leave on Full Pay on Medical Grounds from [start date] to [end date]

Respected Sir,

I request leave on full pay for [number] days, from [start date] to [end date], on medical grounds under the Revised Leave Rules 1980. My medical certificate is attached with this application. My leave account shows [number] days of leave on full pay in balance. [Name and designation of alternate officer] will look after my work during my absence. I will stay at [address during leave] and can be contacted on [phone number].

Thanking you,

[Your full name]
[Designation]
[Employee ID / Personal number]
[Section]
[Date]

How to submit your leave application#

Submitting a leave application takes 6 steps. Follow them in order, and proceed on leave only after approval, except in an emergency.

1. Check your leave balance: confirm how many days of the leave type you have left, from the leave register or your HR office.
2. Write the application: use the format above and the sample that fits your situation, with the exact dates and return date.
3. Attach the medical certificate: for sick or medical leave, attach the certificate with the application.
4. Submit through the proper channel: in a government job, the application goes to your immediate supervisor first, then to the sanctioning authority. In a private job, submit it to your manager or HR, or send it by email.
5. Get the approval: wait for the sanctioning authority’s approval before you proceed on leave. In an emergency, inform your manager by phone first and send the written application the same day.
6. Resume duty on the return date: report back on the date you stated, and complete any pending work.

In a government office the application is made on the prescribed leave form, which the admin or HR office fills in with the leave balance from the leave register before the supervisor recommends and the sanctioning authority approves. If you are leaving a job or starting a new one, our resignation letter format guide and joining letter format guide cover those letters.

Medical certificate rules in Pakistan#

Medical certificate rules in Pakistan depend on where you work. In a government job, a medical certificate lifts the leave-on-full-pay maximum from 120 days to 180 days at a time, and adds 365 days on a medical certificate in the entire service. For short sick leave taken as casual leave, no certificate is needed. In a private job, employers generally expect a medical certificate for sick leave, and a certificate supports the request, but the 16-day half-pay entitlement itself comes from the Factories Act. No law sets a day threshold after which a certificate becomes compulsory, so any “certificate needed after 2 days” rule is an employer’s own practice, not a statute. In school, a parent’s note is usually enough for 1 or 2 days, and a medical certificate is attached for a longer illness.

The PESSI sickness benefit is a different thing from employer sick leave: it is a cash claim against the social security institution, 75% of wages for up to 121 days in Punjab, not leave paid by your employer.

Mistakes to avoid#

The most common mistakes with a leave application in Pakistan are about the dates, the reason and the approval.

• Writing a long reason: one clear line is enough. For earned leave, no reason is necessary at all under Rule 20 of the Revised Leave Rules.
• Forgetting the exact dates: an application without a start date, end date and return date cannot be approved, because leave is calculated in days.
• Leaving before approval: proceed on leave only after the sanctioning authority approves, except in an emergency, when you inform your manager by phone first.
• Not naming who covers your work: name the colleague or alternate officer who will look after your urgent work, so your absence causes no delay.
• Treating leave as a right: leave is granted at the discretion of the competent authority, subject to the exigencies of service, so the authority can refuse it and you may need to apply again with different dates.
• Combining casual leave with earned leave: casual leave cannot be combined with any other kind of leave or joining time. It can be combined with Sundays and public holidays, up to 15 days in total.
• Confusing the PESSI sickness benefit with sick leave: the PESSI benefit is a cash claim against the social security institution, not leave paid by your employer.
• Copying a sample written for another country’s law: Pakistan’s federal maternity leave is 180 days on the first birth under the 2023 Act, not 26 weeks, and private-sector sick leave is 16 days under the Factories Act.

FAQ#

How do I write a sick leave application for office?

Write a short formal letter with the date, the recipient, a subject line with the dates, one line giving the illness, the exact start date, end date and return date, the total number of days, who will cover your work, and your phone number, and attach the medical certificate. Sample 1 above is a complete sick leave application for office that you can copy and fill in.

How many casual leaves does a government employee get?

A federal government employee gets 20 days of casual leave in a calendar year, and a Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government employee gets 25 days. The maximum at one time is 10 days for staff and 15 days for officers, and casual leave lapses at the end of the year. For the full rules, see our earned leave rules guide.

Can casual leave be combined with earned leave?

No. Casual leave cannot be combined with any other kind of leave or joining time. It can be combined with Sundays and public holidays, but the total period must not exceed 15 days at a time.

Can you take leave without approval?

No. You must proceed on leave only after the sanctioning authority approves, except in an emergency, when you inform your manager by phone first and send the written application the same day.

What if your leave is refused?

The sanctioning authority may refuse leave when service needs do not allow it, because leave is granted at the authority’s discretion. You can apply again with different dates, or ask which dates would work, and take the matter up through the proper channel if the refusal is repeated.

How many sick leaves does a private employee get?

A factory worker gets 16 days of sick leave a year on half average pay under the Factories Act 1934, and a factory worker in Sindh gets 16 days at full pay under the Sindh Factories Act 2015. Shop staff get 8 days of sick leave a year on full wages under the Shops and Establishments Ordinance 1969, with a maximum accumulation of 16 days.