Pakistan Loses Doctors, Engineers as Asim Munir’s ‘Brain Gain’ Claim Sparks Backlash

Pakistan is witnessing a sharp exodus of skilled professionals, with thousands of doctors, engineers and accountants leaving the country over the past two years amid deepening economic stress and prolonged political instability. Fresh government data has undercut official attempts to downplay the crisis, triggering widespread ridicule of the military leadership’s narrative on migration.

According to a recent report, Pakistan lost nearly 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers and 13,000 accountants in the last 24 months. The figures have drawn attention after Asim Munir recently described large-scale overseas migration as a “brain gain” rather than a brain drain — a remark that has since sparked sharp criticism and online sarcasm.

The data was highlighted by former Pakistani senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who said Pakistan’s economic decline is closely linked to its political instability. He also flagged the impact of internet shutdowns, which he claimed have caused losses worth billions of dollars and put millions of freelance jobs at risk.

What the emigration data reveals

Statistics released by Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment present a bleak picture. In 2024 alone, over 7.27 lakh Pakistanis registered for overseas employment. In 2025, the figure stood at nearly 6.87 lakh till November. Unlike earlier migration waves dominated by low-skilled labour, the latest trend shows a significant outflow of white-collar professionals.

The healthcare sector has been hit particularly hard. Reports indicate that between 2011 and 2024, migration among nurses rose by over 2,100%, reflecting the scale of stress on Pakistan’s public health system. The trend has continued this year as well.

In response, the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has tightened travel checks at airports. In 2025, more than 66,000 passengers were offloaded due to documentation issues, nearly double the number recorded the previous year. Authorities have also stepped up action against illegal migration and begging rackets, with thousands deported from Gulf countries and elsewhere.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced restrictions on overseas travel for individuals lacking proper documents and those identified as “professional beggars”.

Online backlash against military leadership

Despite these measures, the release of emigration figures showing doctors and engineers leaving in large numbers has intensified criticism of the establishment. Social media users have repeatedly cited Asim Munir’s August remarks, made during an interaction with expatriates in the United States, where he dismissed concerns over brain drain.

Supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan and other commentators argued that the outflow reflects the lack of employment opportunities, research funding and industrial growth. Several posts pointed to shrinking civic freedoms and economic uncertainty as key drivers pushing educated professionals to leave.

The widening gap between official rhetoric and ground realities has reinforced concerns that Pakistan is not only losing skilled manpower but also struggling to retain confidence in its future prospects.