By Muhammad Adnan Paracha
Pakistan repeatedly turns to the IMF due to its shortage of foreign exchange reserves. A closer look at the country’s sources of foreign exchange earnings reveals that overseas Pakistanis are the single largest contributors to the nation’s foreign currency inflows. Remittances sent by Pakistani workers living abroad, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, continue to provide the highest monthly and annual foreign exchange earnings for the country. In contrast, many overseas Pakistanis residing in Western countries have settled permanently in their host societies, and the volume of remittances they send through formal banking channels is comparatively lower than that of workers in the Gulf region.
According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan, workers’ remittances totaled $33.9 billion during the July–April period of fiscal year 2025-26, reflecting an increase of 8.5 percent compared to $31.2 billion received during the same period last year.
In April alone, overseas Pakistani workers remitted $3.5 billion, representing an 11.4 percent increase year-on-year, although it was 7.6 percent lower on a month-on-month basis.
If Pakistan aims to achieve economic growth and earn valuable foreign exchange through its workforce, it must fundamentally change its perception of Gulf countries. Policymakers and young people in Pakistan still tend to view the Gulf economies through the lens of the 1970s, assuming that demand exists only for semi-skilled and unskilled laborers and drivers.
This is not merely a personal observation. Government statistics themselves indicate that sending educated and highly qualified Pakistani youth abroad—particularly to Gulf countries—is not among the priorities of policymakers.
According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Pakistani workers have been facing increasing challenges in Gulf labor markets for nearly the past five years.
Even more concerning is the fact that Pakistan is losing valuable opportunities for its educated and skilled youth both domestically and internationally. There is no effective policy framework to encourage and protect investments from overseas Pakistanis.
A review of emigration data since 2023 reveals that:
- In 2023, approximately 862,000 Pakistanis went abroad for employment, including 582,000 unskilled laborers and drivers.
- In 2024, around 727,000 Pakistanis secured overseas jobs, of whom 550,000 were drivers and unskilled workers.
- In 2025, nearly 763,000 Pakistanis went abroad for employment, including 629,000 unskilled laborers and drivers.
Meanwhile, the number of professionals employed overseas across the remaining 37 occupational categories remains comparatively low.
It is also alarming that, due to non-supportive policies, nearly 70 to 80 percent of Pakistan’s workforce seeking employment abroad currently relies on local recruitment agencies merely for visa processing.
This clearly indicates that existing policies are not serving the interests of Pakistan’s manpower export sector. If this trend continues, demand for Pakistani workers abroad may decline significantly in the near future. Pakistan risks becoming a country known only for supplying laborers and drivers. In such circumstances, the annual expenditure of billions of rupees on training and testing programs raises serious questions about effectiveness and accountability.
There are practical and effective strategies available to safeguard this important sector and build a positive international reputation during the current challenging period. However, the success of these measures depends entirely on the presence of an honest, competent, and empowered leadership team.
I respectfully appeal to our esteemed Field Marshal to help address this situation. The corruption of a few individuals is directly affecting the future of nearly 50 percent of Pakistan’s active and skilled youth. Such circumstances stand in stark contrast to the Field Marshal’s vision of empowering and supporting the country’s younger generation.
