19 February 2004	Thursday	27 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: The vice-president and regional director of Microsoft's Europe, Middle East and Africa operations, Emre Berkin on Wednesday said that the company planned to spend millions of dollars in Pakistan.

"Demographically, Pakistan has great potential and acting as a catalyst, Microsoft is willing to help the country realize that potential," Mr Berkin said while speaking at a press conference here.

For this purpose Microsoft will invest millions every year in diversified sectors of Pakistan for progress and to make it internationally competitive", Mr Berkin said. He identified five important areas in Pakistan where progress and expansion were imperative.

"There are five major pillars that must be strengthened. Those pillars are the development in education, social, community, the business, and IT sectors and the modernizing of government and its administration.

Mr Berkin said that Microsoft planned to make affective contributions in as many as 16 districts, towns and cities, engaging with communities for capacity building of people, where IT had barely reached.

However, he said, Microsoft was willing to concentrate its investment plans in the technology industry. "The overall aim is to kick-start the technology sector to encourage investors, help IT companies boost their skills and specially create opportunities for the IT professionals to rise and progress and get recognized for their hidden potentials", Mr Berkin maintained.

He further said that modernizing government and all its departments was a grand step towards achieving future targets. He said, "today the leadership as well as the people in Pakistan had a vision and were committed to achieving their goals".

The vice-president and chief technology officer, Microsoft Corporation, Jonathan Murray during his address stated that Microsoft was the leading knowledge-based company and partnering with Pakistan, it could help Pakistan invest in knowledge.

"Investment climate in Pakistan is now perfect. The basics are in place. The skills, knowledge, the vision and work force will make it an international player by investing in knowledge", Mr Jonathan added.

Country Manager of the company, Jawwad Rehman, speaking to this reporter said that best endeavours were being made to make IT know-how accessible to everyone.

Comparing internet facilities with India, he acknowledged that usage of internet in Pakistan was still expensive. However he believed that initiatives being taken by the government would bring costs of internet usage down.

Earlier the three-member delegation of Microsoft met Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan to examine various issues regarding Microsoft-government partnership in a number of areas of mutual benefit.

The delegation advised the minister on how joint efforts in fields of education and information technology could benefit both parties. They said Microsoft would set up regional institutions and IT academies in Pakistan to achieve their goals.

The team also showed interest in sharing its services and experiences in Pakistan from which both could get economic benefits offering unsurpassed opportunities in building human capital in Pakistan.