In what can be termed as a litmus test for the tech industry in Pakistan, Intel Corporation has shut down its direct operations across Pakistan. The move is in line with Intel’s new global strategy to streamline operations focusing on the bigger markets, only. The company is cutting down costs, when it comes to smaller markets, local publisher Propakistani reported.
World’s largest chip maker, Intel had stepped in Pakistani market back in September 1997. At its launch, Intel’s director of South Asia, Mr. Atul Vijaykar had said:
Adoption of advance technology enables Pakistan to grow faster and compete globally. Pervasive deployment of IT technology is key to Pakistan’s technology adoption. We look forward to working closely with the IT industry in Pakistan.
Two decades later, the corporation has announced a wrap up of its operation in smaller markets, e.g. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The current move is being translated as part of the business strategy to align the focus more around cloud computing, instead of continuing with their legacy of excelling in the hardware architecture. The shift of technology infrastructure to software solutions is the premise of the way new business strategies are taking place.
Intel Pakistan’s head office in Karachi, along with other country offices across Pakistan, have been shut down, with only a little staff retained and transferred offshore. The new regional business areas in Asia for the tech giant are Malaysia and Singapore.
As the reports say, Intel’s future operations in Pakistan shall be maintained via business channels and third party vendors, while being run from the regional office in Malaysia.
In an age of evolving technology, it comes as no surprise that hardware giants re-align their business priorities. The age of cloud computing comes with its phenomenal scope and prospects of development, and along with come the possibility of cost effective offshore business maintenance. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, often grouped together as a unit in the books of tech giants Dell and Intel, have mostly been low priority areas. Whereas, the Indian market, due to its sheer size has always been the apple of eyes, whenever it comes to determining business scope.
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