Bill Gates phones Musharaf, discusses prospects of investment
ISLAMABAD: Bill Gates, Chairman software giant, Microsoft Corporation, telephoned President General Pervez Musharraf and discussed with him prospects of investment in the field of information technology in Pakistan, reports a news agency.
Gates, one of the world’s leading IT tycoons, informed the President during the telephonic converstation that Microsoft was examining prospects of investment in Pakistan. He expressed a keen interest in the opportunities Pakistan offers in the field of information technology and said he would like to meet the President at the World Economic Forum moot in Davos early next year.
President Musharraf said he was pleased at Bill Gates’ interest in IT business in Pakistan and briefed him about the tremendous opportunities and potential the country offers in the field. The President said far off places of the country too have been connected to the Internet, the information superhighway and quality IT institutions are attracting talented students and preparing them to become future professionals.
Can’t belive he actually called Musharraf. Why would he want to invest in Pakistan when there is India just a couple of miles awaty. Doesn’t make sense. :konfused:
It make sense! If you don't have expansion in your business plan, you will be out of business in the near future...
But making a call to Musharraf is something a big show-off from Bill...lol
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i am not against expansion. I am just curious as to what exactly attracted him to Pakistan. I would love Microsoft to invest in Pak. but when you have poor IT institutions, few quality graduates in IT, and a large number of pirated CD's available as easy as anything else the question does arise. What makes him come to Pakistan? Not to mention the law & order situation. Like I said, its a very intriguing question.
Last year I was at a community function in the US. I had a chance to talk to a prominet Pak-American businessman. He told me that second to China, Pakistan is a major center for software piracy.
I bet that Gates being the businessman that he is, gave some kind of deal to Musharraf - you take action against pirates and Microsoft will invest xxx dollars in Pakistan.
There was several big conferences in pakistan last few years about investing in Pakistan IT sector the predictions where good and big plans where made.
But a year or 2 down the road it has been realised the IT infrastructure of pakistan is not as good as it could be!
So this intrest of B Gates could be another if only!
If you had read the news article more carefully you would've noticed the reason he called up Musharraf. I'll leave it up to you to read the article again, but I'll tell you this: it wasn't charity.
Very significant news, and one that indicates that Micorsoft may well be considering major investment in Pakistan. Another feather in the cap of our great President Musharraf. :k:
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*Originally posted by CM: *
I would like to hear more about this deal before commenting if its good or not. We could actually lose in some situations if gates invests.
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That Gates never does anything without his benefit. ExaMPLE aNDHRA pRADESH WHERE he donated some 2 million $ for the Gates fund for some vaccinations. Turns out that the deal is the vaccines have to be bought from a company owned by him even after the 2 million runs out........
The following says it all and makes one wonder why, of all the places, Bill Gates chose to call Musharraf. There must be something cooking up in his mind
i am as surprised as you are, but then look at it this way: if microsoft decides to invest in pakistan and gets a fair return from it, it would give a clear signal to other IT companies that Pakistan is a viable place to invest. As surprising as this turn of events is, I think it’ll help Pakistan if the govt. manages it properly.
Wow... I thought there would be a better chance of God contacting Musharaf then Bill Gates of all people... Wonder of wonders.
Prhaps no ones has informed mister gates of the many hurdles to investing in Pakistan, but I think Gates is known for taking risks, and his career speaks for itself. So I guess there is some kind of Potential in Pak.
I know Dawn and Jang are bastions of great reporting, the reason William phoned Musharaf was to tell him to crack down on the pirate software!! Remeber after China, Pakistan is the biggest market for pirated software. Yes, China is GREAT.
Its not just Jang/Dawn reporting that. As hard as it is, you’ll have to come out of self-denial and accept the fact that he called Musharraf and discussed investment opportunities.
Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Information Technology Minister Awais Leghari held detailed meeting in Geneva recently with senior executives of Microsoft , including CEO for Europe Jean Philippe Courtois, and discussed prospects of investment in the field of IT in Pakistan. The meeting followed a phone call from Microsoft’s Bill Gates to President Pervez Musharraf last month in which they discussed the possibility of investment in information technology in Pakistan. Business circles say that President Musharraf is expected to meet Bill Gates in February next year at the World Economic Forum gathering to be held at Davos, Switzerland.
In Geneva, the executives of Microsoft and delegation of Pakistan held many meetings to discuss various aspects of the potential collaboration. In a fax release, Jawwad Rahman, Microsoft’s country manager in Pakistan, says: “Microsoft is committed to working closely with Pakistan to develop a roadmap that will best serve the needs of its people and help them build a strong IT economy that will compete on global level.”
