Minimum Wage in Pakistan 2026-27: Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan and Islamabad

By 6 min read

Pakistan has no single minimum wage. Each province fixes its own under its own law, and the federal figure from the budget applies only in Islamabad and to federal government employees. For 2026-27 the official notifications say Rs 43,000 a month in Sindh and Rs 40,700 for federal employees. Punjab is still on Rs 40,000, notified for 2025-26, because its department has not posted a 2026-27 notification.

The table below uses only notifications we could read on the government’s own websites. Where a province has announced a figure but not published the notification, we say so instead of guessing.

What Is the Minimum Wage in Pakistan in 2026-27?

Where you work Unskilled worker, per month In force from Official status
Sindh Rs 43,000 1 July 2026 Notified 17 August 2026
Punjab Rs 40,000 1 July 2025 Latest notification (8 September 2025). No 2026-27 notification published yet
Islamabad and federal government employees Rs 40,700 1 July 2026 Finance Division memo of 21 August 2026 for federal employees
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rs 45,000 announced in the 2026-27 budget Not confirmed No notification on the KP Labour Department website
Balochistan Rs 37,000 last reported (from 1 July 2024) Not confirmed No notification on the Balochistan Labour Department website

All figures are for an adult unskilled worker. They are the floor, not the going rate. Both the Sindh and Punjab notifications say that anyone already paid more cannot have their pay cut to the minimum.

Sindh: Rs 43,000 and Separate Rates for Skilled Workers

Sindh is the only province with a full 2026-27 notification online. The Sindh Labour and Human Resources Department notified the new rates on 17 August 2026, in force from 1 July 2026, so workers are owed the difference back to July.

Category Per month Per day Per hour
Unskilled (adult, juvenile and adolescent) Rs 43,000 Rs 1,654 Rs 207
Semi-skilled Rs 44,484 Not stated Not stated
Skilled Rs 53,350 Not stated Not stated
Highly skilled Rs 55,626 Not stated Not stated

The unskilled rate covers every industrial and commercial establishment in Sindh, registered or not, and permanent, temporary, casual, contract, daily-rated and piece-rated workers alike. It is based on an 8-hour day and a 48-hour week.

The skilled rates apply in 60 listed industries, from auto workshops and textiles to security services and hotels. The board allowed up to 7.5% over the previous rates. A separate list (Schedule-A) that places each job in a grade was still to follow when the notification was issued.

Two conditions matter for take-home pay. Attendance bonuses, productivity incentives and other variable payments cannot be counted towards the minimum, and existing benefits such as transport, food or accommodation cannot be withdrawn or set off against it. Wages must be paid by crossed cheque or bank transfer.

Punjab: Still Rs 40,000

The Punjab Labour and Human Resource Department notification dated 8 September 2025 fixed Rs 40,000 a month from 1 July 2025, for adult and adolescent workers in all industrial and commercial establishments. It is still the only notification on the department’s page.

  • Per month: Rs 40,000, for 26 working days
  • Per day: Rs 1,538.46, for 8 working hours
  • Per hour: Rs 192.31

Punjab is the one province that lets an employer deduct for facilities, but only by agreement with the worker: up to Rs 100 a meal for food, Rs 1,800 a month for transport and Rs 2,000 a month for accommodation. Women doing work of equal value get the same rate as men.

When Punjab notifies a 2026-27 rate, it will normally apply from 1 July 2026, as last year’s did even though it came out in September.

Islamabad and Federal Employees: Rs 40,700

The federal budget raised the minimum wage from Rs 37,000 to Rs 40,700. The Finance Division office memorandum of 21 August 2026 applies it from 1 July 2026 to all federal civil employees, civilians paid from defence estimates, and contingent and contract staff in basic pay scales. Anyone whose gross salary is below Rs 40,700 gets the difference as a special allowance, and that allowance is taxable.

For private employers in Islamabad, the Islamabad Capital Territory issues its own notification. It is reported to have been issued on 19 August 2026 at the same Rs 40,700, but we could not find it on an official website, so check with the ICT Labour Department if you need the text.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan

KP’s 2026-27 budget announced Rs 45,000 a month, up from Rs 40,000. A budget announcement is not the legal rate. Under the KP minimum wages law the rate becomes binding when the government notifies it, and the KP Labour Department website had no notifications posted when we checked on 22 October 2026.

For Balochistan, the last rate reported is Rs 37,000 from 1 July 2024. Its 2026-27 budget papers do not mention the minimum wage, and the labour department website has no notification. If you work in either province, ask the provincial labour department or your local labour office for the current notification before you rely on a figure.

Is Minimum Wage Taxed?

No income tax is due at these levels. Rs 45,000 a month is Rs 540,000 a year, below the Rs 6 lakh a year that salaried people can earn tax-free in 2026-27. The salary tax calculator shows where tax starts, and the income tax on salary table lists every common salary.

Common questions

Does the federal minimum wage apply in my province?

No. Since the 18th Amendment, labour is a provincial subject. Punjab, Sindh, KP and Balochistan each fix their own rate under their own minimum wages Act. The federal Rs 40,700 applies to federal government employees and, through its own notification, to Islamabad.

My employer still pays Rs 40,000 in Sindh. Am I owed arrears?

Yes, if you are an unskilled worker in an industrial or commercial establishment. The Sindh notification fixes Rs 43,000 from 1 July 2026 even though it was issued on 17 August 2026, so the difference is due from July. Your employer cannot cut pay that was already above the new rate to match it. If arrears are not paid, keep your pay slips and go to the Sindh Labour Department.

Can my employer count my bonus towards the minimum wage?

Not in Sindh. The 2026 notifications say attendance bonuses, productivity incentives, non-statutory allowances and other variable payments cannot be counted towards the minimum. They are paid on top of it, and existing benefits such as transport, food or accommodation cannot be withdrawn or set off against the minimum either. Punjab is different: by agreement with the worker, its notification allows fixed deductions for food, transport and accommodation.

How is the daily rate worked out?

Punjab divides the monthly figure by 26 working days and an 8-hour day: Rs 40,000 divided by 26 is Rs 1,538.46 a day, or Rs 192.31 an hour. Sindh’s notification states Rs 1,654 a day and Rs 207 an hour for Rs 43,000 a month.

Does the minimum wage apply to domestic workers?

The provincial notifications covered here are for industrial and commercial establishments. Domestic workers are covered by separate provincial laws, such as Punjab’s Domestic Workers Act 2019, so check the rate notified under that law. The Rs 43,000 in Sindh and Rs 40,000 in Punjab apply to industrial and commercial workers, and a provincial labour department can tell you the domestic worker rate.

Where do I complain if I am paid less?

Go to the labour department of your province. In Punjab that is the Labour and Human Resource Department, in Sindh the Labour and Human Resources Department or the Minimum Wages Board. Keep your pay slips or bank statements, because the Sindh notification requires employers to pay by bank transfer and keep wage records.

Sources

Checked 22 October 2026.