Microsoft’s Exit from Pakistan Was Years in the Making, Says Former Country Head

Microsoft’s recent decision to shut down its Pakistan operations after 25 years didn’t happen overnight. According to Jawwad Rehman, the company’s founding head in Pakistan, the closure was a long time coming—and reflects deeper structural issues.

“This is more than a corporate exit—it’s a sobering signal of the environment our country has created,” Rehman wrote. He cited missed signals and a failure to act, pointing to weak IT policy, poor cloud adoption, weak IP enforcement, and low R&D investment.

Rehman compared Pakistan unfavorably to neighboring countries that have launched long-term digital strategies backed by public-private collaboration and sovereign investment.

Former president Arif Alvi also called the exit a “troubling sign,” recalling a 2022 visit from Bill Gates and early talks about expansion in Pakistan. But after political shifts, Microsoft turned to Vietnam instead.

Still, Rehman sees hope: “This isn’t a blame game—it’s a wake-up call. Let’s reflect. Then lead with the right steps. It’s never too late.”