Brain drain: a national crisis in slow motion

#Brain #drain #national #crisis #slow #motion

LAHORE: Pakistan is witnessing an unprecedented mental tract, recording a significant increase in the transfer of skilled wages in recent years in recent years. For a long time for developing countries, this trend has taken a deep turning point here.

Tens of thousands of professionals, including doctors, engineers, IT specialists and teachers, are looking for better chances abroad. Although remittances offer cushions for the economy, the loss of intellectual capital offers long -term development risks.

Per news reports, in 2023, about 45 45,687 highly skilled professionals left Pakistan. It was not a spike once. Extensive migration data shows that more than 862,625 people left the country in 2023, which increased from 832,339 in 2022 to only 288,280 in 2021. These trends show that migration, especially in educated youth, is no longer seasonal or opportunistic – it has become structural.

Exodus includes thousands of graduates of the University (at least 90,000 per recent estimates), Doctor (2500), Engineer (5,500) and Accountants (6,500). His departure not only reflects the greed of high salaries and better conditions abroad, but also reflects the growing frustration with domestic opportunities, political instability and economic difficulties.

The reasons are deep. Pakistan’s economy is roaming around due to permanent inflation, high unemployment, stable job creation and political volatility. Many highly trained professionals are unable to secure a proper or stable job. Lack of ability, limited development of career and daily uncertainty are often the key to abandoning.

At its upper part, limited access to the country’s high pressure health care and educational system, weak research infrastructure, and global networks has forced many of its bright minds to achieve stability and opportunities.

Despite this dark point of view, there is a financial upside down. Remittances from Pakistanis working abroad between July 2023 and April 2024 reached $ 23.8 billion, and then exceeded $ 38 billion for the fiscal year ending in June 2025. These Infall have played an important role in supporting foreign exchange reserves and maintaining growing economics.

However, experts have warned that while remittances offer short -term economic relief, they do not meet the long -term development costs of losing human capital. This is equivalent to getting cash but losing capacity.

The departure of skilled professionals deprives the economy of individuals who can contribute to national development through innovation, public services and business capacity. Each doctor trained in a government -leaving government represents a fundraising investment by taxpayers, which now benefits the health care system of another country.

The effects are already visible: more and more hospitals, underwater schools and technological development. Particularly the health care sector suffers from the growing burden of patients and the lack of skilled professionals.

In recent months, Pakistan has begun to detect ways to convert this trend into a “mental benefit”. The Higher Education Commission aims to achieve the skills, investment and global networks of Pakistanis abroad, such as Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA), Bright Digital Accounts, and Dye Mangani Program.

These measures are the right direction, but their success depends on political stability, reliable governance, and a better environment in the business environment. Pakistanis abroad are unlikely to return meaningful or invest, unless they consider Pakistan as a safe and rich destination.

Pakistan’s brain drain is no longer silent – this is an alarm demanding systematic reforms. Skills must be a national priority, which is developed by better education, employment creation, merit -based governance and rule of law.

Unless the bold and sustainable efforts are made to cope with the reasons for the roots, Pakistan is at risk of becoming a country that exports its bright minds and imports its results – through weak institutions, through the innovation and low public services.

In today’s world, talent is the ultimate currency. Pakistan should ask itself: Does it afford to lose its most valuable asset?