ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s planning commission said on Thursday the livelihoods of at least 20.76 million Pakistanis had been effected by coronavirus-related lockdowns.

In a report released in August, the Asian Development Bank had estimated that young Pakistanis may lose between 1.5-2.3 million jobs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that forced authorities to impose strict lockdown restrictions and resulted in an economic downturn in the country.

Pakistan lifted its last comprehensive lockdown in May, and has since used the policy of localized, or smart, lockdowns.

The planning commission said 35 percent, about 55.74 million, of Pakistan’s population of 10 years and older had been working before the pandemic, but due to lockdowns, this number declined to 22 percent, or about 35.04 million people.

“This means almost 20.76 million population was affected,” the commission said, citing a survey conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

However the planning commission said the “recovery process” started after July and 33 percent of the population, or approximately 52.56 million people, reported working again after April-July 2020.

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported that the livelihood of 17.07 million households was affected by lockdown restrictions, according to details shared on Thursday in a meeting chaired by planning minister Asad Umar.

“The survey evidence suggested that had the strict lockdown continued, devastating impacts might have been observed on the livelihoods of vulnerable groups of workers and their families, the newspaper reported.