ISLAMABAD:
Floods in 2025 may have disrupted or destroyed nearly 3.3 million jobs across Pakistan, with rural livelihoods and agriculture bearing the brunt, according to a new assessment by the International Labor Organization.
The UN agency said it conducted an assessment of job and livelihood losses in 14 of the worst-hit districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, concluding that the bulk of job losses and disruptions were concentrated in nine districts of Punjab.
Rural areas accounted for almost 78 percent of total job losses, with agriculture the hardest hit sector, followed by services and manufacturing.
The assessment is part of the broader 2025 Flood Damage Preliminary Assessment, a joint exercise supported by the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union and the World Bank, with the United Nations Development Program serving as technical coordinator.
While provincial compensation measures have provided immediate relief and resettlement support, the ILO noted that more comprehensive interventions are needed to restore livelihoods and income-generating activities in affected regions.
He recommended a recovery package including cash-for-work programs, vocational training and subsidized credit to help households restart their agricultural and non-agricultural economic activities.
Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain said the floods had caused serious damage to livelihoods, especially among the self-employed, daily wage earners, small farmers and vulnerable rural households.
He stressed the need for targeted employment recovery and livelihood restoration measures to help communities rebuild.
He added that the ministry, in collaboration with provincial governments, social partners and development organizations, would support employment-intensive recovery initiatives aimed at restoring sources of income.
Geir Tonstol, ILO country director for Pakistan, said rebuilding jobs must remain at the heart of recovery efforts.
“The floods have worsened the economic vulnerability of communities already at risk. There is a need for timely measures that support decent work, income recovery and promote long-term resilience to climate-induced disasters,” he said.
He also called for relaunching the Work Crisis Response Strategy, developed after the 2022 floods, to ensure future responses are more coordinated, faster and focused on protecting jobs and livelihoods.
The ministry and the ILO reaffirmed their commitment to working with employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as other stakeholders, to support affected communities through sustainable employment and livelihood recovery programs.
