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Microsoft starts functioning in Pakistan

NASIR SIDDIQUI

KARACHI: Microsoft, the world software giant, on Monday formally launched its operations in Pakistan by establishing an office in Karachi.

Announcing the launch, Microsoft Regional General Manager, Bahram Mohazzebi, said that Pakistan is a market with huge potential to build a vibrant local information technology industry and use this to boost the country's economy.

He said Microsoft was keen to help contribute to building this vibrant local IT industry.

" We are very proud to announce that our Pakistan office is officially open for business and we have embarked on a long-term commitment to help develop Pakistan's IT industry. Microsoft has been very active on many fronts for the past few months in Pakistan. We have been working in key sectors like education and training and working with our partners to help in knowledge transfer", said Mohazzebi.

He said the company had signed deals with some leading institutions and banks in Pakistan, which incorporate Microsoft technology into their long-term business models to help them increase their productivity and reduce their overall costs.

Last June, Microsoft committed an investment worth over $150 million in the Punjab to help train instructors and establish laboratories in 50 institutions and universities." This is being reviewed to include other provinces of Pakistan ", he said.

In reply to a question about piracy, he said that in Pakistan there was over 90 percent piracy as far as the use of various softwares were concerned. When Microsoft entered the Gulf states a few years ago, the piracy rate was about 100 percent, but now their governments had controlled it and now it was about 45 to 50 percent there.

He said if intellectual property laws were properly enforced more training centres would be established. " We are discussing further expansion of the programme to Sindh and other provinces of Pakistan," he added.

Microsoft Business Development Manager Kamran Iqbal said that the company was determined to contribute to the growth and development of a thriving local industry. Mentioning the key focus areas, Kamran said that a strong sales and support model would be built in Pakistan.