Around 3.3 million jobs were affected by the 2025 floods in Pakistan, with rural workers and the agriculture sector bearing the heaviest losses, according to the International Labour Organisation.
The assessment, conducted across 14 of the worst-affected districts in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, shows that Punjab accounted for the majority of employment disruptions. Nine flood-hit districts in the province recorded the highest concentration of job losses and livelihood damage.
Rural areas made up nearly 78 percent of total employment losses, highlighting the vulnerability of agriculture-dependent communities. The agriculture sector emerged as the most affected, followed by services and industry, as widespread flooding disrupted economic activity across multiple sectors.
The report notes that while provincial compensation efforts provided immediate relief and helped with resettlement, they were not sufficient to fully restore livelihoods. It calls for broader recovery support to help households rebuild income streams and restart economic activity.
Recommended measures include cash for work programs, skills training initiatives, and subsidized credit to support small-scale farming and non farm businesses in affected regions. These interventions aim to create employment while rebuilding local economies.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, said the floods severely impacted self-employed individuals, daily wage workers, small farmers, and vulnerable rural households. He stressed the need for targeted employment recovery programs to help communities regain stable income sources.
He added that the ministry, working with provincial governments and development partners, will focus on employment-intensive recovery initiatives designed to restore livelihoods and strengthen economic resilience.
Geir Tonstol, Country Director of ILO Pakistan, said restoring employment must remain central to the recovery process. He noted that the floods have increased economic vulnerability and called for timely action to support income recovery and build long-term resilience against climate-related disasters.
Tonstol also urged the revival of the World of Work Crisis Response Strategy developed after the 2022 floods to ensure future responses are more coordinated and focused on protecting jobs and livelihoods.