The federal government has revealed that approximately 150,000 positions remain unfilled across central departments and autonomous bodies, despite the recent elimination of an equal number of posts under an IMF-driven “rightsizing” initiative.
According to the Annual Statistical Bulletin for 2022-23, the federal government employs 947,610 individuals out of a sanctioned strength of 1.2 million, leaving 292,009 posts vacant.
The bulletin states that 590,585 employees work in the federal government against 710,808 sanctioned posts, leaving 120,223 positions unfilled.
Meanwhile, autonomous bodies employ 357,025 individuals against 528,811 sanctioned posts, creating 171,786 vacancies. These figures are likely higher now due to limited hiring in recent years.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shows overrepresentation in federal jobs compared to its population share, primarily due to its strong presence in civil armed forces, which employ 52% of its personnel.
In contrast, Punjab holds the largest share of federal jobs, but its representation remains lower than its population ratio. Sindh and Balochistan also show underrepresentation in federal employment.
Women account for just 5.11% of federal employees, with most holding positions in lower grades (BS 1-16). The Interior Division leads in workforce size, comprising 42.83% of employees, followed by the Defense Division at 22.77%.