ILO Asia-Pacific Garment and Footwear Sector Research Note Issue 7

Employment and wages rising in Pakistan's garment sector

This research note provides an overview of recent trends in employment, wages, and exports in Pakistan’s garment, textile and footwear sector. It shows that the sector is highly important to Pakistan, but it faces a number of major challenges.

For decades, Pakistan has been a key manufacturing base for garments, textiles and footwear (GTF), supplying products for major international retailers. The sector generates billions in exports and provides millions of jobs. In recent years, employment and wage levels in the sector have made notable, albeit uneven, gains despite falling competitiveness in GTF exports. Going forward, making strides in improving job quality and addressing the widespread gender gaps that women face throughout the industry will be critical to sustaining growth and competitiveness.