Pakistan Inc. - The High Tech. Edition

Pakistan software groups see peace dividend — Financial Times
Published: July 6 2004 15:40 Last updated: July 6 2004 15:45 (by Farhan Bokhari)
Available at: http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e1f6a6f4-0722-11d9-9672-00000e2511c8,dwp_uuid=2ce778be-2bcd-11d8-81c6-0820abe49a01.html

Punchline: Pakistan’s software producers are hoping to establish closer ties with IT companies from neighbouring India as a pay-off from improving relations between the two south Asian countries. The renewal of commitments last month by the newly-elected Indian government of prime minister Manmohan Singh to continue the peace process with Pakistan, has coincided with an invitation from the Pakistan Software Houses Association (Pasha) to India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) for an Indian IT business delegation to Pakistan.

Virtual Secretary Puts a New Face on Pakistan — The Washington Post
Despite Area’s Instability, More U.S. Firms Are Offshoring There…
The Washington Post, May 10, 2005 (By: Mitra Kalita, Washington Post Staff Writer)
Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/09/AR2005050901158.html

Punchline: In a chic downtown lobby across the street from the Old Executive Office Building, Saadia Musa answers phones, orders sandwiches and lets in the FedEx guy. And she does it all from Karachi, Pakistan.

Fighting an “Image” Problem: An IT Industry Rises in Pakistan — eCommerce Times
eCommerce News Network, May 17, 2005 (By: Athar Osama)
Available at: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/trends/42934.html

Punchline: When it comes to Pakistan, the image belies the reality, and seeing is believing. From the shadows of a misplaced image has emerged an innovative strategy that seems to do the trick. This might just be the right kind of break the country’s software industry needs from its rather lackluster past. Pakistan is fast becoming a happening place for IT.

Diaspora Entrepreneurship Leads to “Win-Win” Scenarios — eCommerce Times
Published in eCommerce Times, Monday, June 6, 2005 (By: Athar Osama)
Available at: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/43552.html

Punchline: As demonstrated in the examples of India and Pakistan, diaspora-driven entrepreneurship represents a safe way to enter a new market like Pakistan or some of the other countries of South East Asia, South Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. It minimizes risks for foreign companies seeking to operate there. It ties a lot of the reputational capital and network capital of these diaspora founders with the venture capital of U.S. investors, thus considerably enhancing the chances of success. And, when it succeeds, it provides a win-win scenario for all parties involved and the rest of the world.

Making up for IT’s lost decade — Dawn, Economic and Business Review
Published in Dawn, Economic & Business Review, July 4, 2005  (by Athar Osama)                                                                                              Available at: http://www.dawn.com/2005/07/04/ebr12.htm
Punchline: ONE question that is often raised among Pakistani IT/software entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers alike is whether or not and to what extent does Pakistan today represents a dynamic industry that is similar to India’s from a decade ago? This is a perfectly legitimate concern for those aspiring to follow the example of Indian software industry and replicate it at home. And it is, by no means, an unworthy goal to seek. Last year alone, India exported over $17 billion worth of IT/ITES/BPO services to the world. 

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