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Pakistan’s mass exodus: Why remittances now matter more than foreign investment

Pakistani workers abroad now send home 18 times more money than foreign firms invest. What does this mean?

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Amber Shamsi

Pakistan Editor

Amber Rahim Shamsi is an award-winning multimedia journalist, political commentator, and free speech advocate with extensive experience in media development. She previously served as Director of the Centre for Excellence in Journalism (CEJ) at IBA, where she spearheaded the launch of iVerify Pakistan, a UNDP-supported fact-checking platform. A former BBC World Service bilingual reporter, she has hosted three major current affairs shows on Pakistani news channels. She is also an IVLP and ICFJ Digital Fellow, a media trainer, and an advocate for press freedom and gender representation in journalism.

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Pakistan’s mass exodus: Why remittances now matter more than foreign investmentplay icon
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In this episode of The Blue Newsroom, Amber Shamsi breaks down the startling data behind Pakistan’s mass exodus. While headlines are dominated by FIA off-loadings and the desperation of illegal crossings, the numbers behind legal migration reveal a structural shift within the Pakistani state.

We explore a landmark macroeconomic reality: Pakistani workers abroad are now sending back 18 times more money than foreign companies are investing in the country. But what is the true cost of this "survival subsidy"? In this episode:

  • The 18:1 Gap: Why remittances have become the only "anchor" of the economy while FDI remains stagnant.
  • The Nursing Crisis: Pakistan is currently operating with only 16% of its required nursing strength, yet we continue to lose thousands of healthcare professionals every year.
  • Unskilled vs. Highly Qualified: Why the shift toward unskilled labor (now 61% of migration) is changing the face of the Pakistani diaspora.

Other stories

  • The Gul Plaza Tragedy: 49 people remain missing as the government enters the "Committee-Committee" phase of the investigation.
  • Sajid Javid’s Ladder: The controversy surrounding the British-Pakistani politician who claims he wouldn't have let his own parents into the UK under today's rules.

Watch the full video to understand the numbers; and tell us in the comments: is this a brain drain or a brain gain?

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