ISLAMABAD – The Ministry of IT and Telecom said it will continue to engage Microsoft’s regional and global leadership to ensure that any structural changes strengthen, rather than diminish, tech firm’s long term commitment to Pakistani customers, developers and channel partners.
The statement comes after reports claiming that Miscrosoft has decided to exit Pakistan after 25 years.
“Pakistan’s Ministry of IT & Telecom recognises the strategic value of having leading global technology providers active in the country,” read the official press release.
The global pivot from on-premise software (transactional deals) to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) (recurring revenue) continues to reshape how technology firms structure their international operations. Microsoft is no exception.
Over the past few years the company has shifted licensing and commercial-contract management for Pakistan to its European hub in Ireland, while day-to-day service delivery here has been handled entirely by its certified local partners.
Against that backdrop, we understand Microsoft is now reviewing the future of its liaison office in Pakistan as part of a wider workforce-optimisation programme.
“This would reflect a long-signalled strategy, consolidating direct headcount and moving toward a partner-led, cloud-based delivery model, rather than a retreat from the Pakistani market,” the press release stated.
Microsoft shut down its operations in Pakistan after 2.5 decades amid growing economic and regulatory challenges in South Asian nation, raising concerns about country’s business environment.
Former Microsoft Pakistan manager Jawwad Rehman pushed for urgent reforms at national level as the exit marks end of an era that started in 2000 when Bill Gates’s company first established formal presence in the country.
As the announcement shocked the world, Jawwad called it end of an era, explaining “not just a job, but a calling,” highlighting key milestones such as building a high-performing local team, strengthening customer relationships, and playing a central role in Pakistan’s early digital transformation.
He further expressed concern over broader implications of the tech giant’s exit, pointing to improve economic instability, regulatory unpredictability, and shrinking investor confidence as core challenges facing Pakistan’s business environment.
