US companies express keen interest in outsourcing Industry
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan is expected to acquire a significant share of American companies outsourcing agreements in the field of information technology as a number of companies have shown interest in tapping the rich potential of Pakistani IT Industry services.
"Several renowned companies in USA, during the recent series of meetings with a visiting Pakistani delegation, expressed their willingness to outsource various projects to Pakistani companies," spokesman of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) disclosed while talking to the media here.
The Pakistan delegation, during their recent concluded visit, led by PSEB Managing Director Yusuf Hussain, held detailed meetings and networking sessions with leading corporations, trade chambers, academia and IT companies. These meetings were held in various American cities - Houston, Austin, Polo Alto and Chicago, reputed to be the hub of IT activities. "These networking sessions have generated valuable business leads, which are likely to transform into successful business ventures" he mentioned.
He stated that the USA companies that are considering outsourcing IT projects to Pakistan are Yahoo, JP Morgan, Motorola, Sun Microsystems, Continental Airlines, Chase Bank, Houston IT Department, Prime Communications, American International University Houston, Cyber Tex, Cadence and Goldman Sachs. Some American Universities and institutes of learning have also shown interest in developing a student exchange program with Pakistan and to open training centers in the country, which is an encouraging sign for the local IT Industry.
The visit of Pakistan IT delegation and the networking sessions in USA were arranged by PSEB in collaboration with Texas Trade Council (TTC), Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America (OPEN) and Embassy of Pakistan in USA. The purpose of this visit was to provide a platform to Pakistani IT companies for showcasing their products and services in front of a focused audience there. The Pakistani IT companies which participated in these networking sessions and special events, included Alp - BSM, CTO 24/7, iNVATERRA, LMKR, Netpace, Palmchip Pakistan, Progressive Systems, Server4Sale and Xorlogics Inc.
The spokesman also informed the media that Mayor of Houston, Mr. Bill While, announced 15th of January 2008 as "Pakistan Software Export Board Day". "This announcement speaks of the trust and confidence placed by the USA business community on the Pakistan IT Industry" the spokesman remarked.
The Pakistani delegation met the Texas Secretary of State, Mr. Phil Wilson and briefed him about the tremendous growth generated by the Pakistan IT sector and the investment opportunities available in the country. The delegation also attended a business networking event "Think Global, Act Local", which was jointly arranged by the Asian Chamber of Commerce, TTC, Asian Pacific American Heritage Association and Galleria Chamber of Commerce.
The spokesman expressed hope that outsourcing projects from USA companies to Pakistan would increase job opportunities for local skilled professionals, boost IT exports, and earn more foreign exchange. PSEB is a Government agency mandated to promote Pakistan's IT Industry, including software, services, hardware and call centers locally and globally. PSEB regularly sponsors attendance by its member companies in International Trade Shows and Exhibitions that help companies showcase their capabilities and develop business contacts. PSEB has been facilitating the IT Industry through its programs in Human Capital, Office Space, Marketing, Company Capability Development, Telecom Bandwidth, Industry Finance, Public Policy, Strategy & Research, and Facilitation.