ISLAMABAD:
The 2025 floods could have disrupted or wiped out 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 employment and livelihood losses across 14 of the worst-affected districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and found that the majority of job losses and disruptions were concentrated in nine districts of Punjab.
Rural areas accounted for almost 78 percent of the total job losses, with agriculture emerging as the hardest hit sector, followed by services and industry.
The assessment is part of the broader preliminary assessment of 2025 Flood Damages, 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 acting as the technical coordination lead.
While provincial compensation measures 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.
It recommended a recovery package that includes cash-for-work programs, skills training and subsidized credit to help households resume both agricultural and non-agricultural economic activities.
Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain said the floods had caused severe damage to livelihoods, particularly among self-employed workers, daily wage earners, small farmers and vulnerable rural households.
He stressed the need for targeted recovery of employment and restoration of livelihoods to help communities rebuild.
He added that the ministry, in collaboration with provincial governments, social partners and development organizations, will support employment-intensive recovery initiatives aimed at restoring sources of income.
ILO Country Director for Pakistan Geir Tonstol said rebuilding employment must remain central to recovery efforts.
“The floods have exacerbated the economic vulnerability of already vulnerable communities. Timely measures are needed to support decent work, income recovery and promote long-term resilience to climate-induced disasters,” he said.
He also called for reviving the World of Work Crisis Response Strategy, developed after the 2022 floods, to ensure future responses are more coordinated, timely and focused on protecting jobs and livelihoods.
The Ministry and the ILO reaffirmed their commitment to work with employers’ and workers’ organizations as well as other stakeholders to support affected communities through sustainable employment and livelihood recovery programmes.
