Low wages, limited facilities and costs for high private education operate Pakistanis abroad, where 2,894,645 people leave the country for the last three years until September 15, according to the protectorate of emigrants. Emigrants paid RS2.66 billion in protectorate fees.
The emigrants include professionals such as doctors, engineers, IT specialists, teachers, bankers, accounting people, accountants, designers and architects as well as qualified workers such as plumber, drivers and welders. Women form a significant part of those who leave.
Read: Pakistanis topped asylum seekers’ list in the UK in 2024
Data from Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment shows that Punjab has the highest number of emigrants from 1981 to August 2025 at 7.245.052, followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) (3,575,954), Sindh (1,281,495) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) (813,526).
Northern areas and Balochistan had the lowest number of 30,776 and 813,526 respectively.
The total number of emigrants since 1981 has reached 13,885,816.
A report from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicates that 40% of Pakistanis express a desire to leave the country.
Illegal migration to Europe rose 280% in the first ten months of 2022, with nearly 8,800 Pakistanis who were illegally entering Europe by the end of 2023, and often travel via Dubai, Egypt and Libya.
Emigration interest is highest in Balochistan, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan and is more pronounced in cities than rural areas.
Read more: Nearly 40% Pakistanis want to leave the country
Economic challenges, political instability, unemployment, high inflation, limited educational opportunities and terrorism are mentioned as the most important drivers. Experts warn of a growing trend in risky migration over the last two years.
