19,000 Women in Federal Government — But 2/3 Are in Lower Grades and Concentrated in a Few Departments

Pakistan’s federal government employs ~19,000 female officers and staff. On the surface, that sounds like a solid number.

But look closer — and a more nuanced story emerges.
🔹 67% of female employees are in BS 1–16
🔹 Only 33% are in BS 17–22

Women are present — but senior representation remains limited.

📍 Geography tells one story…

Female employment is heavily concentrated:
Punjab alone accounts for ~11,000

Followed by Sindh Urban (~2.7K), KP (~1.8K), Sindh Rural (~1.3K), Islamabad (~1.2K)


Departments tell an even sharper story…

Female employment is not evenly distributed across government.

Power Division has highest female employees

Among 16-22 grades there are 6000 employees. Largest share is in Finance Division.

Meanwhile, many departments have minimal female presence

Even more interesting:

Some divisions (like Finance) show relatively higher presence in senior grades
Others (like Interior or Defence Production) are heavily skewed toward lower grades