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Deccan Herald
04-07-2025
- Business
- Deccan Herald
After 25 years, Microsoft shuts shop in Pakistan, officials see it as 'troubling sign'
Microsoft's decision to shut down operations in Pakistan is a troubling sign for our economic future. I vividly recall February 2022, when Bill Gates visited my office. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I had the honor of conferring the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on him for his remarkable…
Economic Times
04-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Microsoft shuts down Pakistan operations after 25 years, claims founding CEO; Ex-Pak President calls it a troubling sign for economy
Political and economic chaos behind the move Former President recalls lost opportunity — ArifAlvi (@ArifAlvi) Live Events You Might Also Like: Consumer group slams Microsoft for leaving Windows 10 users stuck without options A legacy that transformed Pakistan's tech scene India-Pakistan trade tensions worsen the environment (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Microsoft has officially exited Pakistan after 25 years of operations, according to the CEO who launched the tech giant's presence in the country in 2000. The company, which entered Pakistan on March 7, 2000, ended its operations without a formal announcement. 'Today, I learned that Microsoft is officially closing its operations in Pakistan. The last few remaining employees were formally informed and just like that, an era ends...' said Jawwad Rehman , Microsoft's founding country head in Microsoft has not issued a public explanation, the company's exit is widely linked to Pakistan's unstable economy, shifting political landscape, and weakening trade conditions. Frequent changes in government, high taxes, a fluctuating currency, and difficulties in importing technology have made the environment challenging for multinational trade deficit for FY2024 reached USD 24.4 billion. By June 2025, foreign exchange reserves had fallen to just USD 11.5 billion, directly affecting tech imports and overall investor President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi also responded to the development, linking the exit to missed opportunities caused by political instability.'Microsoft's decision to shut down operations in Pakistan is a troubling sign for our economic future. I vividly recall February 2022, when Bill Gates visited my office. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I had the honor of conferring the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on him for his remarkable contributions to polio eradication in our we sat in the lawn outside my office, our conversation spanned fascinating topics like AI, Quantum computing, gut microbiomes, longevity, and more. During our discussion, I asked him directly, 'Why isn't Microsoft investing in Pakistan?' He leaned in, sharing in confidence that he had just spoken with PM Imran Khan and arranged a call between the PM and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In a hushed tone, he asked me to keep it quiet, revealing that 'all is set and within two months, the PM and I will announce a major Microsoft investment in Pakistan.'But then, everything went rapidly downhill. Regime change upended those plans, and the promise of investment slipped away. By October 2022, Microsoft chose Vietnam for its expansion, a decision in which they had initially favored Pakistan. The opportunity was now spirals in a whirlpool of uncertainty. There is increasing joblessness, our talent is migrating abroad, purchasing power has reduced, economic recovery in the 'awami' context feels like a distant & elusive business, Microsoft played a leading role in Pakistan's digital journey. It launched computer labs in rural schools, supported digital adoption among small businesses, and worked with educational institutions. 'We tried to give Pakistani youth a real shot at opportunity,' said Jawwad relations with India have also deteriorated. Bilateral trade dropped from USD 3 billion in 2018 to USD 1.2 billion in 2024. Essential imports such as medicines are now routed through third countries, increasing delays and costs. This growing geopolitical tension has further weakened Pakistan's investment climate.(Disclaimer: This article is based on LinkedIn and social media post on X. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of Reader discretion is advised.)
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Microsoft shuts down Pakistan operations after 25 years, claims founding CEO; Ex-Pak President calls it a troubling sign for economy
Microsoft has officially exited Pakistan after 25 years of operations, according to the CEO who launched the tech giant's presence in the country in 2000. The company, which entered Pakistan on March 7, 2000, ended its operations without a formal announcement. 'Today, I learned that Microsoft is officially closing its operations in Pakistan. The last few remaining employees were formally informed and just like that, an era ends...' said Jawwad Rehman , Microsoft's founding country head in Pakistan. Political and economic chaos behind the move While Microsoft has not issued a public explanation, the company's exit is widely linked to Pakistan's unstable economy, shifting political landscape, and weakening trade conditions. Frequent changes in government, high taxes, a fluctuating currency, and difficulties in importing technology have made the environment challenging for multinational corporations. Pakistan's trade deficit for FY2024 reached USD 24.4 billion. By June 2025, foreign exchange reserves had fallen to just USD 11.5 billion, directly affecting tech imports and overall investor confidence. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist Reveals: The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo Former President recalls lost opportunity Former President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi also responded to the development, linking the exit to missed opportunities caused by political instability. — ArifAlvi (@ArifAlvi) 'Microsoft's decision to shut down operations in Pakistan is a troubling sign for our economic future. I vividly recall February 2022, when Bill Gates visited my office. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I had the honor of conferring the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on him for his remarkable contributions to polio eradication in our country. Live Events You Might Also Like: Consumer group slams Microsoft for leaving Windows 10 users stuck without options As we sat in the lawn outside my office, our conversation spanned fascinating topics like AI, Quantum computing, gut microbiomes, longevity, and more. During our discussion, I asked him directly, 'Why isn't Microsoft investing in Pakistan?' He leaned in, sharing in confidence that he had just spoken with PM Imran Khan and arranged a call between the PM and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In a hushed tone, he asked me to keep it quiet, revealing that 'all is set and within two months, the PM and I will announce a major Microsoft investment in Pakistan.' But then, everything went rapidly downhill. Regime change upended those plans, and the promise of investment slipped away. By October 2022, Microsoft chose Vietnam for its expansion, a decision in which they had initially favored Pakistan. The opportunity was lost. Pakistan now spirals in a whirlpool of uncertainty. There is increasing joblessness, our talent is migrating abroad, purchasing power has reduced, economic recovery in the 'awami' context feels like a distant & elusive dream. A legacy that transformed Pakistan's tech scene Beyond business, Microsoft played a leading role in Pakistan's digital journey. It launched computer labs in rural schools, supported digital adoption among small businesses, and worked with educational institutions. 'We tried to give Pakistani youth a real shot at opportunity,' said Jawwad Rehman. India-Pakistan trade tensions worsen the environment Trade relations with India have also deteriorated. Bilateral trade dropped from USD 3 billion in 2018 to USD 1.2 billion in 2024. Essential imports such as medicines are now routed through third countries, increasing delays and costs. This growing geopolitical tension has further weakened Pakistan's investment climate.
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First Post
04-07-2025
- Business
- First Post
Microsoft shuts shop in Pakistan after 25 years amid instability, security concerns
Global tech giant Microsoft has decided to shut down its operations in Pakistan after 25 years of operating in the country. Former President Arif Alvi slams the current regime read more Global tech giant Microsoft has decided to shut down its operations in Pakistan after 25 years of operating in the country. The announcement came after the company went on to lay off 9,000 employees. In light of this, Pakistan's former President Arif Alvi argued that the closure indicates that Pakistan is now spiralling into a whirlpool of uncertainty. He went on to add that there is increasing joblessness, talent migration, and a reduction in purchasing power in the country. 'Pakistan now spirals into a whirlpool of uncertainty. There is increasing joblessness, our talent is migrating abroad, purchasing power has reduced, economic recovery in the 'awami' context feels like a distant & elusive dream," said Arif Alvi in a post on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He emphasised that Microsoft's decision to shut down operations in Pakistan is a 'troubling sign" for the country's economic future. The former president went on to link the move to the regime change in Pakistan. 'Microsoft's decision to shut down operations in Pakistan is a troubling sign for our economic future. I vividly recall February 2022, when Bill Gates visited my office. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I had the honour of conferring the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on him for his remarkable contributions to polio eradication in our country," he added. Alvi recalls his meeting with Bill Gates In his stern remarks on X, the former Pakistani president recalled his conversation with Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Alvi said they sat on the lawn outside his office and discussed numerous topics like AI, Quantum computing, gut microbiomes, longevity, and more. 'During our discussion, I asked him directly, 'Why isn't Microsoft investing in Pakistan?' He leaned in, sharing in confidence that he had just spoken with PM Imran Khan and arranged a call between the PM and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In a hushed tone, he asked me to keep it quiet, revealing that 'all is set and within two months, the PM and I will announce a major Microsoft investment in Pakistan," Alvi wrote. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, he mentioned that soon after the meeting, things went downhill, and regime change upended those plans. 'By October 2022, Microsoft chose Vietnam for its expansion, a decision in which they had initially favoured Pakistan. The opportunity was lost,' he added. Meanwhile, Jawwad Rehman, who set up and led Microsoft's Pakistan unit, shared the news in a post on LinkedIn.
Express Tribune
04-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Microsoft Pakistan shuts down operations after 25 years: Why is tech giant leaving the country?
Microsoft has closed its office in Pakistan after 25 years, citing global restructuring and a shift to a cloud-based, partner-led model. The move comes as the tech giant cuts roughly 9,100 jobs worldwide (or about 4% of its workforce) in its largest layoff round since 2023, as reported by The Verge. Microsoft never operated a full commercial base in Pakistan, relying instead on liaison offices focused on enterprise, education, and government clients. Over recent years, much of that work had already shifted to local partners, while licensing and contracts were managed from its European hub in Ireland. Former president Dr Arif Alvi criticised the decision on social media, calling it a 'troubling sign.' He claimed Microsoft once considered Pakistan for expansion, but that instability led the company to choose Vietnam instead by late 2022. 'The opportunity was lost,' he wrote. Microsoft's decision to shut down operations in Pakistan is a troubling sign for our economic future. I vividly recall February 2022, when Bill Gates visited my office. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I had the honor of conferring the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on him for his remarkable… — Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) July 3, 2025 Jawwad Rehman, Microsoft Pakistan's former founding country manager, said the exit reflected the current business climate. 'Even global giants like Microsoft find it unsustainable to stay,' he posted on LinkedIn. Tech entrepreneur Habibullah Khan noted that Microsoft's revenue from Pakistan was estimated at just $50 million (less than 0.02% of global revenue) and that much of its local staffing had already been scaled down. 'Their relationship with Pakistan was very tenuous,' he wrote on X. While Microsoft will continue serving Pakistani customers through regional teams and partners, the closure underscores the growing pressure on multinationals to streamline overseas operations amid changing global priorities.
