ISLAMABAD — An estimated 3.3 million jobs may have been affected by devastating 2025 floods in Pakistan, a new assessment conducted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in support of the Preliminary Assessment of Floods Damages said.
The exercise forms part of a joint effort supported by the United Nations, Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Union (EU), and World Bank (WB), with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) serving as the overall technical coordination lead.
The employment and livelihood impact assessment covered 14 of the worst-affected districts in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, revealing that the majority of job losses occurred in nine flood-hit districts of Punjab. The findings further indicate that rural areas account for nearly 78 percent of total estimated employment losses, with the agriculture sector emerging as the hardest hit, followed by services and industry.
The report shows while provincial compensation and relief measures provided immediate support for resettlement and basic needs, they are insufficient to address the deeper and longer-term economic damage. It stresses the urgent need for comprehensive livelihood recovery interventions to restore income-generating activities in affected communities.
To support recovery, the assessment recommends a targeted package of measures, including cash-for-work programmes, skills training initiatives, and subsidized credit facilities, aimed at enabling affected households to restart both small-scale farming and non-farm enterprises.
Pakistan’s Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, stated that the floods caused severe destruction to livelihoods, particularly impacting self-employed workers, daily wage earners, small farmers, and vulnerable rural households. He emphasized the need for targeted, employment-focused recovery efforts to help communities rebuild income sources and stabilize livelihoods.
He further noted that the Ministry, in collaboration with provincial governments, social partners, and development agencies, will continue to support employment-intensive recovery programmes designed to restore livelihoods in affected regions.
ILO Country Director in Pakistan, Geir Tonstol, stressed that restoring jobs and livelihoods must remain central to the recovery process, warning that the floods have further deepened economic vulnerability among already at-risk populations. He called for timely interventions that promote decent work, income recovery, and long-term resilience against climate-related disasters.
Tonstol also underscored the importance of reviving the World of Work Crisis Response Strategy, originally developed after the 2022 floods, to ensure that future disaster responses are more coordinated, faster, and firmly focused on employment and livelihood protection.
Ministry and the ILO jointly reaffirmed their commitment to working with employers’ and workers’ organizations, government institutions, and development partners to support flood-affected communities through sustainable, employment-driven recovery and resilience-building interventions.
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