KARACHI, 23 December 2004 — Chairman of Microsoft, Middle East and Africa, Emre Berkin, has said Pakistan has the potential to become the regional hub of information technology.
He said all the elements needed to make the country a regional IT hub existed in Pakistan. “What is needed is to organize them in a way to ensure their optimum utilization.”
No person can deny the significant role IT plays in the development of a nation, he said. It plays a crucial role in good governance including better government performance and effective enforcement of government’s policies.
To a question about intellectual property rights in Pakistan, the Microsoft regional chief said Pakistan will need to ensure protection of the intellectual property and effective enforcement of the laws regarding protection of the intellectual property rights for development of its IT sector. Microsoft will set up 20 training centers in Pakistan, he said.
At a meeting with Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro, Emre Berkin lauded the government’s investment-friendly policies, saying these had created a conducive atmosphere for foreign investors.
