The number of Pakistanis traveling abroad for employment has fallen sharply this fiscal year, with only 381,000 workers departing in the first eight months, an industry expert said Monday.
Overseas Employment Promoters expert Adnan Paracha attributed the decline to the ongoing Gulf war, saying the conflict has disrupted job opportunities for Pakistani workers across the region.
The figure marks a steep fall from fiscal year 2025, when more than 700,000 Pakistanis left the country for overseas employment, official data cited by Paracha showed.
Paracha projected that the total number of Pakistanis traveling abroad for work this year would reach around 650,000, still well below last year’s total despite the partial recovery.
He urged the federal government to take immediate measures to enhance Pakistan’s overseas employment quota in Gulf countries, which have long remained the largest destination for Pakistani labor.
Paracha described overseas Pakistanis as a vital national asset, noting that they remit Rs49 billion annually to Pakistan, funds that continue to support the country’s fragile economy.
He said these remittances play a critical role in addressing Pakistan’s financial challenges and have helped strengthen foreign exchange reserves in recent months.
Separately, Pakistan’s current account deficit narrowed by 38 percent year-on-year in July, falling to $328 million, reflecting the continued impact of strong remittance inflows on the economy.
