www.ccsenet.org/ass Asian Social Science Vol. 6, No. 11; November 2010 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 239 The Determinants of Gender Wage Discrimination in Pakistan: Econometric Evidence from Punjab Province Ghulam Yasin Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan Imran Sharif Chaudhry Associate Professor, Department of Economics Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan E-mail: imranchaudhry@bzu.edu.pk Saima Afzal Lecturer, Department of Sociology Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan Abstract The development of labor sector has always been on the priority agenda of every country in the world. Since gender discrimination can be categorized in various forms across countries, but this paper concentrates on the gender employment positions and wage differentials in Pakistan. The major objective of this paper is to analyze the determinants of gender wage discrimination in Pakistan using descriptive and regression analysis based on the cross-sectional data of Pakistan labor force survey. It is concluded that illiteracy, poor and low levels of education as well as low vocational, technical, and professional competence are currently important facets of the labor market participants in Pakistan. The results of empirical analysis show that dissimilarity in attainment of jobs is a remarkable phenomenon between males and females. It is also proved that some socio-economic and cultural constraints also hinder the participation of females. Finally the results show that women are not different in their productivity from men and if discrimination does not occur, women can earn more as compared to men in some cases. The governments should take some concrete steps for equitable employment opportunities, improving institutions and infrastructure, provision of quality education and proper training, gender participation in decision-making and knowledge-based economy Keywords: Gender discrimination, Wage differentials, Female labor force participation, Pakistan 1. Introduction The development of labor force sector has always been on the priority agenda of every country in the world. But notwithstanding the policies that have been devised so far, gender wage differentials and unemployment still remains a major issue in the economic development of many countries. The dire need to address the issue of gender in labor market cannot be overlooked as it not only hinders the progress of developing countries, but also has been addressed in various forms in developed countries. The promotion of the employment sector by reducing gender gaps in wages is important because it has a double positive impact i.e. economic as well as social. Moreover gender bigotry against women in the market place reduces the available talent in an economy, which has negative economic consequences especially in terms of low economic growth among others. While gender discrimination against women in the labor market in developed countries is usually identified with differential wage rates, it is in developing countries that this discrimination appears to take the form of differential access to wage employment (Collier, 1994). Since gender discrimination can be categorized in various forms across countries, but major emphasis in this paper is on the gender employment positions and wage differentials in Pakistan.