diff --git a/Marco.Pms.Services/Controllers/EmployeeController.cs b/Marco.Pms.Services/Controllers/EmployeeController.cs
index cdc28ed..3f39412 100644
--- a/Marco.Pms.Services/Controllers/EmployeeController.cs
+++ b/Marco.Pms.Services/Controllers/EmployeeController.cs
@@ -191,24 +191,89 @@ namespace MarcoBMS.Services.Controllers
             var response = await employeeQuery.Take(10).Select(e => _mapper.Map<BasicEmployeeVM>(e)).ToListAsync();
             return Ok(ApiResponse<object>.SuccessResponse(response, $"{response.Count} records of employees fetched successfully", 200));
         }
-        [HttpGet]
-        [Route("search/{name}/{projectid?}")]
-        public async Task<IActionResult> SearchEmployee(string name, Guid? projectid)
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Retrieves a paginated list of employees assigned to a specified project (if provided),
+        /// with optional search functionality. 
+        /// Ensures that the logged-in user has necessary permissions before accessing project employees.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="projectId">Optional project identifier to filter employees by project.</param>
+        /// <param name="searchString">Optional search string to filter employees by name.</param>
+        /// <param name="pageNumber">Page number for pagination (default = 1).</param>
+        /// <returns>Paginated list of employees in BasicEmployeeVM format wrapped in ApiResponse.</returns>
+
+        [HttpGet("search")]
+        public async Task<IActionResult> GetEmployeesByProjectBasic(Guid? projectId, [FromQuery] string? searchString, [FromQuery] int pageNumber = 1)
         {
-            if (!ModelState.IsValid)
+            const int pageSize = 10; // Fixed page size for pagination
+
+            // Log API entry with context
+            _logger.LogInfo("Fetching employees. ProjectId: {ProjectId}, SearchString: {SearchString}, PageNumber: {PageNumber}",
+                                    projectId ?? Guid.Empty, searchString ?? "", pageNumber);
+
+            var loggedInEmployee = await _userHelper.GetCurrentEmployeeAsync();
+            _logger.LogDebug("Logged-in EmployeeId: {EmployeeId}", loggedInEmployee.Id);
+
+            // Initialize query scoped by tenant
+            var employeeQuery = _context.Employees.Where(e => e.TenantId == tenantId);
+
+            // Filter by project if projectId is supplied
+            if (projectId.HasValue && projectId.Value != Guid.Empty)
             {
-                var errors = ModelState.Values
-                    .SelectMany(v => v.Errors)
-                    .Select(e => e.ErrorMessage)
-                    .ToList();
-                return BadRequest(ApiResponse<object>.ErrorResponse("Invalid data", errors, 400));
+                _logger.LogDebug("Project filter applied. Checking permission for EmployeeId: {EmployeeId} on ProjectId: {ProjectId}",
+                                 loggedInEmployee.Id, projectId);
 
+                // Validate project access permission
+                var hasProjectPermission = await _permission.HasProjectPermission(loggedInEmployee, projectId.Value);
+                if (!hasProjectPermission)
+                {
+                    _logger.LogWarning("Access denied. EmployeeId: {EmployeeId} does not have permission for ProjectId: {ProjectId}",
+                                       loggedInEmployee.Id, projectId);
+
+                    return StatusCode(403, ApiResponse<object>.ErrorResponse(
+                        "Access denied",
+                        "User does not have access to view employees for this project",
+                        403));
+                }
+
+                // Employees allocated to the project
+                var employeeIds = await _context.ProjectAllocations
+                                                .Where(pa => pa.ProjectId == projectId && pa.IsActive && pa.TenantId == tenantId)
+                                                .Select(pa => pa.EmployeeId)
+                                                .ToListAsync();
+
+                _logger.LogDebug("Project employees retrieved. Total linked employees found: {Count}", employeeIds.Count);
+
+                // Apply project allocation filter
+                employeeQuery = employeeQuery.Where(e => employeeIds.Contains(e.Id));
             }
-            var result = await _employeeHelper.SearchEmployeeByProjectId(GetTenantId(), name.ToLower(), projectid);
 
-            return Ok(ApiResponse<object>.SuccessResponse(result, "Filter applied.", 200));
+            // Apply search filter if provided
+            if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(searchString))
+            {
+                var searchStringLower = searchString.ToLower();
+                _logger.LogDebug("Search filter applied. Search term: {SearchTerm}", searchStringLower);
+
+                employeeQuery = employeeQuery.Where(e =>
+                    (e.FirstName + " " + e.LastName).ToLower().Contains(searchStringLower));
+            }
+
+            // Pagination and Projection (executed in DB)
+            var employees = await employeeQuery
+                .Skip((pageNumber - 1) * pageSize)
+                .Take(pageSize)
+                .Select(e => _mapper.Map<BasicEmployeeVM>(e))
+                .ToListAsync();
+
+            _logger.LogInfo("Employees fetched successfully. Records returned: {Count}", employees.Count);
+
+            return Ok(ApiResponse<object>.SuccessResponse(
+                employees,
+                $"{employees.Count} employee records fetched successfully",
+                200));
         }
 
+
         [HttpGet]
         [Route("profile/get/{employeeId}")]
         public async Task<IActionResult> GetEmployeeProfileById(Guid employeeId)