As Pakistan faces a major exodus of skilled professionals, where data shows that a large number of doctors, engineers and accountants leave the country, Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir has come under fire and is being severely mocked over his “brain gain” remark that he made while addressing the Pakistani diaspora a few months ago.
Official data from Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment shows that more than 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers and 13,000 accountants have left the country for better opportunities over the past two years, which, according to social media users, reflects the country’s “brain drain” rather than the “brain gain” claimed by the Army Chief.
Official data further shows that at least 727,381 Pakistanis applied to work overseas in 2024, while another 687,246 went abroad by November 2025, which highlights the trend of seeking employment abroad, which now officials say includes highly qualified professionals and not just low-wage labourers.
Over the past 24 months Pak has lost 5000 doctors, 11000 engineers & 13000 accountants. Pak is also the 4th largest freelancing hub & with internet shutdowns causing losses of $1.62 billion, has put 2.37 million freelancing jobs at risk.
Fix politics to fix the economy!…
— Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (@mustafa_nawazk) December 26, 2025
Social media reactions are anything but positive
The exodus of skilled professionals from Pakistan has drawn ridicule and criticism, especially towards Army Chief General Asim Munir, who described this movement of skilled workers abroad as “brain gain” during a speech to the Pakistani diaspora in the United States.
One of the users wrote that “no educated or skilled person would want to live/remain in a ‘hard state’ where he/she can get abducted, tortured and possibly killed on mere difference of opinion, criticism of those being fed on taxpayer expense.” Sajid Sikander Ali, a supporter of Imran Khan’s PTI party wrote on X that “Pakistan’s ‘brain drain’ wasn’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.”
Analysts say that lack of domestic opportunities and political uncertainty have pushed Pakistan’s skilled professionals to seek a better life abroad and that the “brain gain” has done little to quiet public frustration.
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