Karachi: US software giant Microsoft Corporation has launched the Urdu version of MS Office 2003 for users in Pakistan.

Microsoft's Pakistan Country Manager Jawwad Rehman said that the key objectives behind launching the Urdu version was to make people more comfortable with using computer software as well equip them with new technology.

“We completed it in partnership of NLA and the Government of Pakistan has approved it. National University (NU) worked on the basic requirements and logics of the language making it easier to build this version of Office. Government is keen to enhance the IT professional base in the country and we are pleased to work as their partners,” The News quoted Rehman as saying.

Rehman said the new software, had an excellent ‘spell checker' provided by the NU, and more user-friendly tools and add-ons, and used standard Arabic code with slight changes for a true Urdu interface for the local people.

He further said that Microsoft Corp was also planning to launch low cost national Personal Computers with local language interface for greater technology usage in day to day life of the Pakistanis.

“We are also planning to launch low-cost national Personal Computers with local language interface,” he said.

“Our project is not just a word processing product, it has Power Point, Excel and others in Urdu. In future, we would like to launch our product in regional languages like Sindhi and Pushto,” added Andy Abbar, another Microsoft official.