Technological limitations, political instability drives migration of skilled professionals

As the final weeks of 2025 draw to a close, activity at the departure lounges of Pakistan's international airports has become a visible marker of a deeper national shift. In a year shaped by fiscal tightening and digital friction, the country has solidified its position as one of the world's most aggressive exporters of human talent. This is no longer limited to labourers seeking wages in the Gulf. It increasingly reflects a sustained outflow of high-value professionals, particularly digital workers, whose departure is systematically hollowing out the nation's intellectual nerve centre. The rise of the "digital nomad" has added a new dimension to Pakistan's long-standing migration story.