Around 3.3 million jobs were affected by the 2025 floods in Pakistan, with rural workers and the agriculture sector suffering the heaviest losses, according to an assessment by the International Labour Organisation.
The study, carried out in 14 of the worst-hit districts in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, found that Punjab accounted for the largest share of employment disruptions. Nine flood-affected districts in the province recorded the highest concentration of job losses and damage to livelihoods.
Rural areas accounted for nearly 78% of total employment losses, underscoring the exposure of agriculture-dependent communities to climate shocks. The agriculture sector was the worst affected, followed by services and industry, as flooding disrupted economic activity across a wide range of sectors.
The report said compensation efforts by provincial governments provided some immediate relief and supported resettlement, but were not enough to fully restore livelihoods. It called for wider recovery measures to help affected households rebuild income sources and restart economic activity.
Among the measures recommended were cash-for-work programs, skills training initiatives and subsidized credit for small-scale farming and non-farm businesses in flood-hit areas. The report said such interventions could create jobs while helping local economies recover.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, said the floods had severely affected self-employed workers, daily wage earners, small farmers and vulnerable rural households. He said targeted employment recovery programs were needed to help communities regain stable incomes.
He added that the ministry, in coordination with provincial governments and development partners, would focus on employment-intensive recovery initiatives aimed at restoring livelihoods and strengthening economic resilience.
Geir Tonstol, Country Director of ILO Pakistan, said job recovery must remain at the center of the rebuilding process. He said the floods had increased economic vulnerability and called for timely measures to support income recovery and build long-term resilience against climate-related disasters.
He also urged the revival of the World of Work Crisis Response Strategy developed after the 2022 floods so that future responses are better coordinated and more focused on protecting jobs and livelihoods.
