By Abdul Ghani
ISLAMABAD— Fewer Pakistanis went abroad for work in August 2025, even as local social and development programs picked up speed, according to the Finance Division’s Monthly Economic Update & Outlook – September 2025.
The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment recorded 51,444 workers leaving in August, down 18.7 percent from 63,285 in July.
Experts say that while overseas jobs continue to bring in important remittances, global job market conditions and domestic factors may be slowing the flow of workers.
Meanwhile, homegrown poverty relief and skill-building programs are expanding.
The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), working with 26 partner organizations, distributed 17,583 interest-free loans worth Rs.899 million in August alone. Since 2019, the PPAF has provided Rs.120.3 billion, helping millions of low-income households across the country.
The report also highlighted a new initiative by the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Human Resource Research & Development Board.
Together, they will train 3,000 BISP beneficiaries in market-relevant trades. The program aims to boost job skills, create sustainable livelihoods, and reduce dependence on cash transfers.
The Finance Division emphasized that while remittances are still vital for Pakistan’s economy, strengthening local employment and human development is equally important for long-term growth.
Programs like these not only support rural and low-income communities but also reduce the need for people to seek work abroad over time.
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