Islamabad: Huawei, a leading Chinese smartphone company, has announced its intention to invest USD 100 million in Pakistan, a news source reported. The company plans to establish its regional headquarter and a technical support centre in Islamabad.
Huawei Group Vice President Mark Xueman expressed his views on the matter during a meeting with Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Khusro Bakhtiar on Tuesday. Secretary Planning, Development and Reform Zafar Hasan and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Project Director Hassan Daud were also present at the occasion.
The regional headquarter will be constructed at a cost of USD 55 million, while the technical support centre will cost USD 15 million. The delegation informed the minister that the smartphone group would contract the services of additional workforce for its operations; creating job opportunities for Pakistanis.
In response, the minister appreciated the role of Huawei in Pakistan’s economic growth. He said that Huawei was the top tax-paying Chinese company operating in Pakistan and a 25% shareholder of the country’s mobile phone industry. He also praised the efforts of Huawei for initiating a smart school project in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Moreover, he said that Huawei could play a vital role in the development of Pakistan’s information technology (IT) sector. The company could support IT start-ups and facilitate the government in its e-governance initiative to improve efficiency, he added.
