Pakistanis mock Asim Munir’s ‘brain gain’ claim as 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers exit country
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistanis mock Asim Munir’s ‘brain gain’ claim as 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers exit country")
Photograph: (AFP)
Pakistan has lost thousands of doctors, engineers and accountants over the past two years, according to official data, undermining Munir's claims that overseas migration represents a ‘brain gain’.
Pakistan is witnessing one of the biggest exoduses of skilled professionals in its history as thousands of doctors, engineers and accountants are leaving the country in recent years, adding to the economic woes of an already cash-strapped nation. The talent exodus is attributed to the reigning economic crisis and political instability marked by periods of sporadic violence.
The concerns highlighted in a recent report published by the government revealed that as many as 5,000 doctors, 11,000 engineers and 13,000 accountants have left the country in the past two years.
Data released by Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment points to a troubling trend. In 2024 alone, more than 7.27 lakh Pakistanis registered for overseas employment, while in 2025, up to November, nearly 6.87 lakh people have already done so.
The numbers contrast Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir's claims tried to give a positive spin to the disturbing trend by describing the mass migration as "brain gain"
Former Pakistani senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar put the data in perspective and called out Munir's lofty rhetoric in a social media post, "Fix politics to fix the economy! Pakistan is also the 4th largest freelancing hub and with internet shutdowns causing losses of $1.62 billion, has put 2.37 million freelancing jobs at risk," Khokhar posted on X.
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The latest immigration data triggered a wave of sharp reaction and sarcasm over Munir's rhetoric. Many users pointed to remarks made by the army chief during a speech to expatriates in the United States.
Pakistanis underline the irony, saying how losing skilled professionals could ever be called a gain, with several users questioning renewed censorship and lack of freedom and an atmosphere of fear that gripped the country after Asim Munir took over as de facto leader of the country.
