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In a big jolt to Pakistan's already fragile tech ecosystem, Microsoft has announced the closure of its local office—putting a demise to its 25-year presence in the country. As part of its global workforce reduction strategy, the tech giant will now serve Pakistani clients remotely through its regional hubs and authorised resellers, rather than maintaining a direct presence in the country, reported India Today.

As per the report, the firm has assured that existing customer agreements and services will continue unaffected, and that the quality of support will remain consistent. The decision, though affecting only five employees locally, has rattled the tech landscape of the country. 

Although Microsoft never established its development or engineering base in Pakistan, the withdrawal is still being seen as a symbolic signal about the country's appeal to global tech players, suggests the report. Meanwhile, the move also coincides with the firm's large-scale global job cuts, which has seen over 9,000 positions being slashed. 

Former Microsoft Pakistan country head Jawwad Rehman has appealed to the government to take proactive steps to retain and attract global tech players. In an indirect dig at the government, Rehman wrote, “Even global giants like Microsoft find it unsustainable to stay". 

Former President Arif Alvi also weighed in on social media, calling Microsoft’s decision as “a troubling sign for our economic future.”