Microsoft is closing its operations in Pakistan, marking the end of a 25-year presence in the South Asian nation.
The Redmond-based company on Friday told TechCrunch that it is changing its operational model in Pakistan and will now serve its customers through resellers and “other closely located Microsoft offices.”
“Our customer agreements and service will not be affected by this change,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
“We follow this model successfully in a number of other countries around the world. Our customers remain our top priority and can expect the same high level of service going forward,” the spokesperson added.
The decision will impact five Microsoft employees in Pakistan, according to sources who talked with TechCrunch; they add that Microsoft did not have any engineering resources in Pakistan, unlike India and other growing markets, and had its employees sell Azure and Office products in the country.
The closure comes amid broader company restructuring. Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry described the Redmond company’s exit “as part of a wider workforce-optimization program.” Earlier this week, the company reduced its workforce by 4%, or about 9,000 roles globally.
To prepare for this transition, Microsoft had shifted licensing and commercial contract management for Pakistan to its European hub in Ireland over the past few years, while certified local partners have handled day-to-day service delivery, the ministry said.
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“We will continue to engage Microsoft’s regional and global leadership to ensure that any structural changes strengthen, rather than diminish, Microsoft’s long-term commitment to Pakistani customers, developers and channel partners,” the ministry noted.
Former Microsoft executive and its first lead in Pakistan Jawwad Rehman reported the company’s exit in a post on LinkedIn on Thursday.
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