Low salaries, limited amenities, and high private education costs are driving Pakistanis abroad, with 2,894,645 individuals leaving the country in the past three years up to 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, accountants, auditors, designers, and architects, as well as skilled workers like plumbers, drivers, and welders. Women form a significant portion of those leaving.
Read: Pakistanis topped asylum seekers’ list in UK in 2024
Data from the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment shows Punjab has the highest number of emigrants from 1981 to August 2025 at 7,245,052, followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) (3,575,954), Sindh (1,281,495), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) (813,526).
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Northern Areas and Balochistan had the lowest numbers at 30,776 and 813,526, respectively.
The total number of emigrants since 1981 has reached 13,885,816.
A report from Denmark’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicates that 40% of Pakistanis express a desire to leave the country.
Illegal migration to Europe surged 280% in the first ten months of 2022, with nearly 8,800 Pakistanis entering Europe illegally by the end of 2023, often travelling 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 country
Economic challenges, political instability, unemployment, high inflation, limited educational opportunities, and terrorism are cited as the main drivers. Experts warn of a growing trend in risky migration over the past two years.
