In 1981, the civilian labour force constituted 39.7 percent of the population in Panjgur district. About two third (66.5%) of the male population and a small percentage (2.8%) of the females participated in the labour force. The urban and rural labour force participation rates were 35.7 and 40.0 percent respectively. The major occupation group "Agricultural animal husbandry and forestry workers and hunters" was adopted by the majority (71.3%) of the labour force. Usually people themselves work in their fields but sometimes tenants, locally named as shareeks, are also employed. After agriculture, livestock farming is the second important sector of labour force involvement, followed by government and social services. Majority of the labour force in the district is local and migrant labour is small in number. The non-resident workers are involved in tasks needing skills, specially the construction work. At present a mason charges 200-250 rupees a day while a labourer takes 70 rupees per day. Cleaning of karezes is done by the farmers themselves but excavation and major cleaning of karezes and kaurjos needs employment of Afghan labour. The excavation of karez by a labourer costs 500-600 rupees per metre.

The visible labour force in the district consists of males only. However women are involved in various productive sectors, including agriculture, livestock farming, date processing (drying) and handicrafts. Women are allied workers in agriculture and livestock farming.

The main reason behind invisibility of female labour force is the socio-cultural milieu of the district. Women of upper income groups are not allowed to work outside their homes. The veil is considered necessary for these women. Naqib women has been used to work outside their homes but these days they also follow the Baloch traditions as the segregative group boundaries between Balochs and Naqibs are now merging. Urbanisation is very slow in the area and so is the consequent socio-cultural change. Allowing and sometimes necessitating the women’s active participation in the labour force, is also slow. Male out-migration usually results in communities with women working outside, but in Panjgur average family size exceeds 8 family members which lessens the need for work by women outside their homes.

 The expansion of education has resulted in participation of women in the formal sector, specially in education. Nowadays, women are occupying jobs as lady doctors, teachers and educational administrators where they deal mostly with females.

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