Tech Desk 
Jul 10, 2025
Microsoft Pakistan’s former Country Head Jawad Rehman has expressed concern over the company’s decision to wind down its operations in the country after 25 years.
Reflecting on his time at Microsoft, Rehman shared that he was instrumental in establishing the tech giant’s presence in Pakistan, playing a key role in expanding digital education and technology access.
Rehman recalled the time when Microsoft provided development training to students in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad and provided computer labs in several cities.
Moreover, Rehman mentioned the time he secured a meeting with former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf and Microsoft founder Bill Gates to carve out a better tech relationship with the world.
One of the highlight moments for Rehman was that he helped set up the meeting for young tech prodigy Arfa Karim with Bill Gates and put Pakistan on a global technology map.
However, he was disappointed by the lack of long-term support from Microsoft in Pakistan. “Microsoft was never allowed to grow here,” he said. “Pakistan did not take enough advantage of what Microsoft was giving to the tech and IT industry.”
Although Microsoft’s services will continue in the country, Rehman warned that the exit will impact customers and limit future collaboration in innovation and digital development.
