Asim Munir Speaks Of 'Brain Gain', Pakistan Sees Mass Exodus Of Skilled Workers

In April 2025, Pakistan's Chief of Defence Staff Asim Munir, in an address at the first annual Overseas Pakistanis' Convention, said that the citizens living abroad represent "brain gain" and not "brain drain" and emphasised their role as global ambassadors.

27 Dec 2025, 12:35 · NDTV

Show
Quick Read
Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed

Pakistan faces severe brain drain due to economic and political instability and limited opportunities
Between 2024 and 2025, 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers, and 13,000 accountants emigrated from Pakistan
Nurse migration surged 2,144% from 2011 to 2024, severely impacting the healthcare sector

Did our AI summary help?
Let us know.
Switch To Beeps Mode

Pakistan is facing a severe "brain drain" as a result of economic and political instability and limited opportunities, and thousands of doctors, engineers and accountants have left the country over the past 2 years for work overseas.

In April 2025, Pakistan's Chief of Defence Staff Asim Munir, in an address at the first annual Overseas Pakistanis' Convention, said that the citizens living abroad represent "brain gain" and not "brain drain" and emphasised their role as global ambassadors.

According to the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, around 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers and 13,000 accountants have left Pakistan between 2024 and 2025.

The healthcare sector has been hit the hardest, with a 2,144 per cent in nurse migration between 2011 and 2024.

"As Pakistan moves into 2026, the 'Exodus of 2025' stands as the definitive marker of the era. Pakistan has become a 'Brain Drain Economy', surviving on the export of the very people it needs to build its future," Express Tribune reported.

Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar highlighted the report and wrote on X, "Fix politics to fix the economy!" He also stated that despite Pakistan being the 4th largest freelancing hub, it has undergone losses amounting to $1.62 billion because of internet shutdowns, putting 2.37 million freelance jobs at risk.

In the year 2024, 7,27,381 Pakistanis registered to work abroad, while in the subsequent year, 6,87,246 registrations were made.

These are the official numbers of Pakistanis leaving Pakistan. Do look at the number in the Highly Qualified, Highly Skilled and Skilled columns since 2022. According to Field Martial Asim Munir this is "Brain Gain", a user wrote on X.

PTI leader Sajid Sikandar Ali said, "Pakistan's brain dead isn't a mystery. No industry, no research funding, no jobs. PhDs return to empty labs, professionals to closed markets. You can't stop talent by humiliating people at airports, only by creating opportunity".

Show full article

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world