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How many days of maternity leave do you get in Pakistan? The answer depends on where you work. A federal government employee gets up to 180 days. A private-sector employee in Sindh gets 16 weeks. A private-sector employee in Punjab gets 12 weeks.
Here is the exact entitlement for each sector, whether the leave is paid, and how to apply. It covers women applying to government jobs and women already working in government and private jobs.
Maternity Leave at a Glance#
| Who you are | Paid leave | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Federal government employee, first birth | 180 days | Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023 |
| Federal government employee, second birth | 120 days | Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023 |
| Federal government employee, third birth | 90 days | Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023 |
| Private employee, Sindh | 16 weeks | Sindh Maternity Benefits Act 2018 |
| Private employee, Punjab / KP / Balochistan / ICT | 12 weeks | Maternity Benefit Ordinance 1958 |
Federal Government: 180 Days on First Birth#
A female federal government employee gets maternity leave on full pay, outside her leave account: 180 days on the first birth, 120 days on the second birth, and 90 days on the third birth. That is the Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023, which received the President’s assent on 20 June 2023 and was published in the Gazette of Pakistan on 24 June 2023.
Outside the leave account means your earned leave balance is untouched. The maternity leave is granted in addition to your ordinary leave, not deducted from it.
The leave is not granted more than three times in the entire service. For a fourth birth, there is no statutory maternity leave, but you may take leave from your leave account if it is due and admissible, or extraordinary leave without pay.
The Act applies to all public and private establishments under the administrative control of the Federal Government. That covers federal ministries, divisions, attached departments, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, and private organisations under federal administrative control, wherever they may be.
The Act overrides other laws. Section 6 of the Act says its provisions have effect notwithstanding anything in any other law in force. The full text is in the Gazette of Pakistan, 24 June 2023.
Paternity Leave: 30 Days for Fathers#
A male federal employee expecting his wife to give birth gets paternity leave on full pay, not exceeding 30 days, outside his leave account. It may not be granted more than three times in his entire service, except from his leave account or as extraordinary leave without pay.
The right is real and enforced. In February 2026, the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment fined the State Bank of Pakistan Rs 500,000 for denying a male employee his 30-day paternity leave, because the bank had no paternity leave policy. The Ombudsperson held that the State Bank, as a government body, must abide by the Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023.
Private-sector fathers have no statutory paternity leave at the federal level. Punjab and Sindh civil servants get 30 days. Private employers commonly offer 3 to 7 days as a company policy benefit, and larger employers and multinationals often offer 14 to 30 days.
Private Sector: 12 Weeks, 16 Weeks in Sindh#
There is no single national maternity leave rule for the private sector. After the 18th Amendment, labour became a provincial subject, so each province sets its own entitlement.
Sindh gives 16 weeks. Under the Sindh Maternity Benefits Act 2018, a woman gets 4 weeks of pre-natal leave and 12 weeks of post-natal leave, at full salary, after one continuous year of service before the expected date of delivery. The Sindh Act also requires a daycare centre in organisations employing ten or more employees.
Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad give 12 weeks. Under the West Pakistan Maternity Benefit Ordinance 1958, a woman gets 12 weeks (84 days), six weeks before and six weeks after delivery, at full salary, after at least four months’ employment in the establishment immediately before the day of delivery. The Ordinance applies to establishments with ten or more workers, and only for the first three pregnancies.
Every version of the law requires the leave to be paid at the rate of the employee’s last-drawn wages, with no deduction. All salary components, basic pay, house rent and allowances, are paid in full for the leave period.
Your Rights During Maternity Leave#
Dismissal during maternity leave is prohibited. Under the 1958 Ordinance, the employer may not dismiss a woman because of her maternity leave, and she cannot be dismissed for three months after her return.
Breaching the 2023 Act is an offence. A person who contravenes any provision of the Act is punishable with imprisonment for up to six months, or a fine of up to Rs 100,000, or both.
Registered workers get a maternity cash benefit from social security. PESSI in Punjab and SESSI in Sindh pay 12 weeks’ wages as a maternity cash benefit for registered workers whose contributions are current. The employer pays the full salary, and the social security institution reimburses the covered portion.
Maternity leave does not affect your probation. Our probation period guide explains that probation is one year, extendable by up to one more year, and cannot be waived. Maternity leave is a statutory entitlement, not a break in service, so it does not reset your probation.
How to Apply for Maternity Leave#
Apply in writing to your head of department or HR, with a medical certificate giving the expected date of delivery. In Sindh, the written application is made about 12 weeks before delivery. In Punjab, the application can be written or verbal, up to six weeks before delivery.
State how you want to split the leave. Under the 1958 Ordinance, the 12 weeks may be split as six weeks before and six weeks after delivery, or taken entirely after delivery. Under the federal Act, the leave runs from the date of its commencement, so state your start date clearly.
Keep a copy of your application and the approval. If the leave is refused, or your pay is cut, the refusal itself is the evidence. For federal employees, the complaint goes to the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment, as the State Bank case shows. For private-sector employees, the complaint goes to the provincial labour department.
Frequently Asked Questions#
How many days of maternity leave in Pakistan?
It depends on where you work. A female federal government employee gets 180 days on her first birth, 120 days on her second, and 90 days on her third, under the Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023. A private-sector employee in Sindh gets 16 weeks. A private-sector employee in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan or Islamabad gets 12 weeks.
Is maternity leave paid?
Yes, in full. Federal maternity leave is on full pay, outside the leave account. Private-sector maternity leave is paid at the employee’s last-drawn wages, with no deduction, and all salary components are paid in full for the leave period. Registered workers also get a maternity cash benefit of 12 weeks’ wages from PESSI or SESSI.
How many times can I take maternity leave?
Under the federal Act, maternity leave is not granted more than three times in the entire service, except from your leave account or as extraordinary leave without pay. Under the 1958 Ordinance for the private sector, the benefit is for the first three pregnancies only.
Do fathers get paternity leave in Pakistan?
Yes, in the federal sector. A male federal employee gets paternity leave on full pay, not exceeding 30 days, outside his leave account, up to three times in service. Punjab and Sindh civil servants also get 30 days. Private-sector fathers have no statutory paternity leave; employers commonly offer 3 to 7 days as a company policy benefit.
Can my employer fire me while I am on maternity leave?
No. Dismissal during maternity leave is prohibited, and under the 1958 Ordinance a woman cannot be dismissed for three months after her return. Breaching the Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023 is an offence punishable with imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine of up to Rs 100,000, or both.
