Millions of domestic workers in Pakistan, including women and girls, continue to face exploitation, abuse, and economic insecurity as the government fails to enforce existing labour protections, according to a report by The Express Tribune. The findings, published on 10 May, expose a sector that remains largely undocumented and unregulated despite a law enacted six years ago.

Scale of the Problem

Punjab province hosts the largest concentration of domestic workers in Pakistan. According to available data cited in the report, Lahore division alone has more than four million domestic workers, followed by Rawalpindi (1.6 million), Faisalabad (1.4 million), Gujranwala (1.2 million), Multan (700,000), Sargodha (500,000), and Sahiwal and DG Khan divisions (around 200,000 each). The majority of these workers are women and children, with girls making up a significant portion of child labour in the sector.

Contradictions Within the Law

Pakistan enacted the Domestic Workers Act in 2019, but the legislation contains critical internal contradictions that advocates say undermine its intent. The Act sets the minimum working age at 15 years, which conflicts with constitutional provisions on child protection. It also allows only six weeks of maternity leave, compared to 90 days guaranteed under other Pakistani laws. According to Syeda Kulsume Hai, Director General of Labour Welfare in Punjab, the law contains gaps and was reportedly drafted hastily, further limiting its effectiveness in practice.

Voices From the Ground

Civil society activist Amna Malik pointed out that Pakistan has ratified ILO Convention 189, which obligates the government to protect domestic workers. She noted that most workers are uneducated women and girls, making them highly vulnerable. The sector remains undocumented, wages are paid in cash, and minimum wage laws are rarely enforced, she said. Two women workers told the report that NGOs often conduct symbolic activities without real impact, adding that they face salary deductions for taking leave and receive no medical support, and urged the government to provide financial assistance.

Demands for Reform

Syeda Farah Hashmi, an NGO leader, called for the establishment of a dedicated fund and strict enforcement of the Rs 40,000 minimum wage. She also stressed the need to formally recognise women's economic contributions and introduce skill development programmes to reduce vulnerability in the sector. Shahnaz Ajmal, President of the Women Domestic Workers Union in Punjab, shared her personal account of abuse and exploitation, highlighted gender-based wage discrimination, and demanded social security cards for all domestic workers.

What Needs to Change

Advocates argue that meaningful reform requires closing legislative contradictions in the 2019 Act, establishing an independent monitoring mechanism, and ensuring that wage payments are formally documented. This comes amid growing international scrutiny of Pakistan's labour rights record, with ILO obligations remaining largely unmet in practice. Without structural change, critics warn, the law will remain a paper guarantee for one of the country's most vulnerable workforces.