Islamabad, (AMA AITIHA) 28/12/25 : The brain drain crisis in Pakistan is currently taking a serious shape. According to official reports, 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers and 13,000 chartered accountants have fled abroad in the last two years. Due to this, the talent crisis in Pakistan is also weakening the economic situation. Former Senate of Pakistan Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar has disclosed the above information to the media. On this issue, he has severely criticized Pakistan’s Army Chief and CDF Asima Munir. Asima argued that the departure of thousands of doctors and engineers abroad does not mean brain drain, but rather brain gain. After receiving appropriate training from abroad, these doctors and engineers will return home and be employed by the countrymen, Munir clarified. Pakistan is facing a loss of $1.62 billion due to the cancellation of internet in several cities. About 2.37 million people who depend on freelancing profession have been left in despair due to internet problems. According to information received from the Pakistan Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment Department, 7,2,381 people registered their names to work abroad in 2024. As of November 2025, 6,87,246 people have registered their names to flee abroad. It is a regular occurrence for Pakistani working class people to migrate to Middle Eastern countries in search of livelihood. However, the fact that people who have done respectable jobs like doctors, engineers and chartered accountants are fleeing the country is certainly worrying. Pakistan’s healthcare system has been hit the hardest by the brain drain. It is said that between 2011 and 2024, the number of Pakistani nurses fleeing abroad has increased by 2144 percent. According to a report by the Pakistani newspaper Express Tribune, the Shehbaz Sharif government has imposed restrictions at airports due to the large number of doctors and engineers fleeing the country. It was reported that 66,154 doctors and engineers were deported in 2025 without the government’s permission. It is said that the lack of industrial institutions in Pakistan, lack of funding for research, and lack of suitable jobs for highly educated people are forcing doctors and engineers to go abroad.
Brain drain crisis in Pakistan in two years5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers have fled abroad
