Pakistan Facing Major 'brain Drain', Government Data Raises Concern In Islamabad

New Delhi: According to a report presented in the Pakistani Parliament, educated Pakistanis are leaving the country. According to the report, more than 15,000 highly educated Pakistanis have gone abroad so far this year. The total number of highly educated people going abroad in 2025 was recorded at 28,726. The report says that educated people are leaving Pakistan in search of better employment and security. According to the government report presented in the Parliament, those going abroad include doctors, engineers, IT professionals and academics.

According to Geo News Urdu , a larger number of educated people are leaving Pakistan than before. For example, 3,625 doctors went abroad in 2024, while this number increased to 3,795 in 2025. So far in 2026, 2,093 doctors have gone abroad. Similarly, 1,729 teachers went abroad in 2024. This number remained at 1,725 ​​in 2025, while 1,457 teachers have gone abroad so far in 2026.

2.2 million Pakistanis went abroad in 3 years

According to other Pakistani government data, approximately 2.2 million Pakistanis migrated abroad for employment between 2024 and 2026. Saudi Arabia accounted for the largest number of these. Approximately 1.1 million Pakistanis traveled to Saudi Arabia for employment, while over 300,000 went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Approximately 150,000 Pakistanis traveled to Oman for jobs. Meanwhile, 134,000 Pakistanis traveled to Kuwait during this period. Among European countries, Britain is also a major destination for Pakistani workers.

Why is this important for Pakistan?

Pakistan graduates approximately 500,000 people each year. In engineering, approximately 20,000 people become engineers annually. Similarly, approximately 36,000 people earn degrees as doctors and dentists. Consequently, the large number of highly educated individuals emigrating abroad is considered a matter of concern for Pakistan.

This is especially true at a time when Pakistan desperately needs these people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan faces a severe shortage of doctors. Available data shows that Pakistan has one doctor for every 723 people, compared to less than one doctor for every 400 people in developed countries.