U.S. Firms Pick Up Pakistan's Call for Outsource Work

• American companies are finding a low-cost pool of educated English speakers that rivals neighboring India.

By Evelyn Iritani, Times Staff Writer

LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan would be hard-pressed to make anyone's list of best places to do business.

It's poor and saddled with a history of political instability and corruption. The U.S. government has warned Americans to stay away because of possible terrorist attacks. Blackouts are common in big cities.

But John Armbruster is betting that Pakistan's attributes — including a large, low-cost pool of English speakers — point to a brighter future.

He's aiming to help the country carve out a piece of the lucrative outsourcing business dominated by its neighbor and longtime rival, India.

For complete story:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pakecon23jan23,0,6730684.story