Microsoft Shuts Down Pakistan Operations After 25 Years Amid Global Restructuring
The decision impacts only five employees in Pakistan, none of whom were engineering staff.
Microsoft has officially closed its operations in Pakistan, ending a 25-year presence in the country as part of a global workforce restructuring plan.
The company will now serve Pakistani customers through resellers and regional offices, marking a significant shift in its go-to-market strategy.
The decision impacts only five employees in Pakistan, none of whom were engineering staff. Microsoft had previously shifted licensing and contract management for the country to its European hub in Ireland and relied on local partners for day-to-day services.
Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry described the move as part of Microsoft’s broader “workforce-optimisation programme,” which included global job cuts affecting 9,000 roles.
Former Microsoft Pakistan head Jawwad Rehman criticised the closure as a "sobering signal" of Pakistan’s current business climate.
Microsoft recently announced the layoff of approximately 9,000 employees, accounting for about 4% of its global workforce, in its latest round of job cuts.
The move, disclosed on July 2, spans multiple teams and geographies, affecting employees across all experience levels.
This marks Microsoft’s third major layoff in recent times, following job cuts in January, May, and June. The tech giant, which laid off 10,000 employees in 2023, is undergoing its most significant downsizing since 2014.
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