Microsoft offers long-term co-operation to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD- Microsoft has offered to Pakistan a long-term co-operation to help it establish a viable software industry and subsequently qualify as a leading IT global player.
Microsoft Vice-President, Emre Berkin, gave the details of cooperation offered by his company at a press conference on June 10th, 2003.
Emre Berkin is recently on a visit to Pakistan. He has held separate meetings with President General Pervez Musharraf, Science and Technology Minister Awais Khan Leghari and Privatisation and Investment Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh here during the last 24 hours.
Emre told newsmen that he has proposed to Pakistani leadership a working model to enable the country exploit its potential.
He believed that Pakistan surpasses other countries in talent and all what it needed to exploit its potential was a helping hand from the experts, which was available with his company.
He termed his meetings with President General Musharraf and other decision-makers as very productive and hoped that these would pave a way to enhance cooperation between Microsoft and the Pakistan government.
He listed various sectors, which were the first choice of Microsoft for extending help to Islamabad.
These are education, health, women development, and uplift of social sector.
He noted that his company was not entering into Pakistan’s social sector for commercial point of view but to share social responsibility with Islamabad as a leading IT player.
Emre was convinced that Pakistan is taking a big leap forward to establish itself as an economically sound state.
He gave its credit to Pakistan’s economic manager, who, in his views, believes in a sound economic discipline.
Emre Birkin conveyed to Minister for Privatisation Dr Hafeez Sheikh and Minister for Science and Technology Awais Khan Leghari, in his separate meetings, that his company plans to bring more investment to Pakistan as a part of expanding its network strategy.
Emre expressed confidence in Pakistan’s economic policies and hoped that their continuity would go a long way to attract foreign investment.
However, he wanted more successes from Pakistan in this area to attract maximum direct investment.
The Microsoft Vice President disclosed that his company was losing 17 percent of its income due to piracy, adding that piracy discourages investment.
Emre Birkin wanted a clear policy from the Pakistan government to deal with such issues. He told a questioner that he was looking forward for Microsoft chief’s visit to Islamabad.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:6/11/2003
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