ISLAMABAD: In a major boost to the national economy, Pakistan has employed 77.2 million people out of a total labour force of 83.14 million in 2025-26. With Rs. 58 billion in youth loans, over 90,000 skill certifications, and a record 762,499 workers sent abroad for jobs in 2025 alone, the country is turning its young population into a powerful engine of growth.
ملکی آبادی 25 کروڑ سے تجاوز، بیروزگار افراد کی تعداد 59 لاکھ، اکنامک سروے
بیورو آف امیگریشن اینڈ اوورسیز ایمپلائمنٹ میں 7 لاکھ 62 ہزار 499 افراد نے بیرون ملک روزگار کے لیے رجسٹریشن کرائی pic.twitter.com/eXLnSXlpyI— Tariq Waseem Gujjar (@tariqwaseem110) June 11, 2026
The National Institute of Population Studies reports that Pakistan’s estimated population in 2025 stands at 252.09 million, growing at a steady rate of 2.07 percent annually. The male population is 129.64 million while females number 122.45 million.
Punjab remains the largest province with 133.36 million people, followed by Sindh (58.27 million), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (42.68 million), and Balochistan (15.22 million).
According to the Economic Survey 2025-26, the most encouraging news comes from the latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2024-25. Out of the total labour force of 83.14 million, an impressive 77.2 million Pakistanis are currently employed, leaving only 5.90 million unemployed. This means that nearly 93 percent of the country’s job-seeking population has found work, a figure that reflects the success of recent government interventions.
Three flagship programs are driving this employment boom. First, under the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme (PMYB&ALS), Rs. 58 billion has been disbursed to 114,815 young beneficiaries between July and February FY 2026. These loans have enabled thousands of young Pakistanis to launch their own businesses, becoming job creators instead of job seekers.
Second, the Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Programme has delivered 90,550 trainings across multiple sectors in FY 2026. From technical trades to digital skills, these trainings are making young people competitive for both local and international job markets.
Third, the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme distributed 72,000 laptops strictly on merit between July and March FY 2026. Building on earlier success where 54 percent of recipients were female students, the scheme continues to empower young women through technology and digital education.
On the overseas employment front, Pakistan has achieved a new milestone. During 2025, the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BE&OE) registered 762,499 workers for jobs abroad.
Between July and March FY 2026, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis issued 75 new licenses to Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs), bringing the total number of operational license holders to 2,697. This expansion is creating more safe, legal, and regulated pathways for Pakistanis to earn foreign income and send remittances back home.
With 56.9 percent of the population in the working-age group of 15 to 64 years, and 26.56 percent specifically in the young 15 to 29 age bracket, Pakistan possesses a powerful demographic dividend.
