ISLAMABAD: Nearly 2.9 million Pakistanis have left the country in the past three years in search of better livelihoods, underscoring deepening economic distress and shrinking job opportunities at home, official data revealed on Wednesday.
According to the Protectorate of Emigrants, between 2022 and September 15, 2025, a total of 2,894,645 people moved abroad, collectively paying Rs2.66 billion in emigration-related fees.
The departures span a wide spectrum—from highly qualified professionals such as doctors, engineers, IT experts, teachers, architects, and bankers, to skilled workers including drivers, plumbers, and welders. A growing share of women has also joined this migration wave, signaling a broader demographic shift.
Long-term data from the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment shows that Punjab has seen the highest number of departures since 1981 (7.24m), followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (3.57m), Sindh (1.28m), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (813,526). At the lower end, Gilgit-Baltistan recorded 30,776 emigrants and Balochistan just 23,013. In total, 13.88 million Pakistanis have gone abroad over the past four decades.
A joint study by the Danish Foreign Ministry and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) highlights that four in ten Pakistanis would choose to emigrate if given the chance—reflecting rising disillusionment fueled by unemployment, inflation, political instability, and security concerns.
The report also flagged a steep rise in irregular migration, noting a 280% surge in illegal entries to Europe during the first ten months of 2022. By the end of 2023, nearly 8,800 Pakistanis had entered Europe through risky routes via Dubai, Egypt, and Libya.
Experts warn that without meaningful reforms to create jobs and expand educational opportunities, the ongoing exodus of Pakistan’s workforce—especially its youth—will continue to accelerate.
Story by Zulfiqar Ahmad