Microsoft has ceased its operations in that country

In a statement, Microsoft noted that this decision would not create any changes in customer contracts or service quality. A company spokesperson said, "We are successfully implementing this model in many countries, and our customers will continue to be our priority."

It was learned that only five people worked in the Pakistan office and that this team did not include any engineers. The employees were primarily involved in the sales processes of Azure and Office products. This situation indicates that Microsoft is concentrating its engineering investments in hubs such as India.

Microsoft's decision is considered part of a restructuring process that affects approximately 9 thousand people worldwide and involves a 4 percent reduction in the workforce.

The Pakistan Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that Microsoft has moved its licensing and commercial contract management to its European headquarters in Ireland and that this decision was taken within the scope of a global workforce optimization program. It was stated that daily operations would be carried out by local business partners.

Jawwad Rehman, Microsoft's first manager in Pakistan, confirmed the decision in a post on LinkedIn and stated that this is a serious warning regarding the sustainability of the country's technology landscape.

These developments came immediately after the Pakistani government announced a plan to provide Google and Microsoft certifications for young people. Google plans to produce 500 thousand Chromebooks by 2026 and invest 10.5 million dollars in public education. This situation reveals the different approaches of the two tech giants.

Microsoft's decision to withdraw shows that Pakistan has not been able to go beyond being a non-engineering resource center for Western technology firms. While countries like India stand out with their engineering investments, the Pakistani market is shaped more by local firms and Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei.

News Source: 12punto