DIGITAL MILESTONE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Google Vice President Wilson White, US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker and others clap after inaugurating the Google office. PHOTO: PID
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated Google’s first office in Pakistan, marking a significant expansion of the technology giant’s presence in the country as the government seeks to accelerate digital transformation, expand information technology (IT) exports and equip young Pakistanis with skills for an increasingly artificial intelligence-driven economy.
The inauguration took place at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad during a meeting between the Shehbaz and a nine-member Google delegation led by Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Wilson White. US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker also accompanied the delegation.
Shehbaz, White, Baker and other dignitaries jointly unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the opening, which the government described as an important development in Pakistan’s digital transformation journey.
Welcoming the Google delegation, Shehbaz said Pakistan was undergoing a major digital transformation in governance, including the digitisation of the economy, and outlined the government’s vision of “Digital Nation Pakistan”.
He said several initiatives aimed at developing the country’s digital ecosystem were already at an advanced stage of implementation, while the government remained committed to upgrading IT infrastructure and expanding training programmes for young people in information technology and artificial intelligence.
The prime minister stressed the importance of working with a global technology company such as Google to achieve these objectives and welcomed the establishment of its local office, saying it would further strengthen the partnership between Pakistan and the company.
Shehbaz also appreciated Google’s contribution to Pakistan’s digital economy and its initiatives aimed at helping young Pakistanis acquire skills and secure productive employment. He expressed hope that the company would further expand its programmes for youth upskilling and empowerment following the establishment of its local presence.
Google’s Cluster Director for Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand, Farhan Qureshi, said the company’s decision to establish an office reflected its confidence in Pakistan’s digital future and the capabilities of its people.
“We are opening Google’s office in Pakistan because we believe deeply in the country’s digital future and its talent,” Qureshi said, adding that the local presence would strengthen Google’s commitment to accelerating Pakistan’s digital transformation.
He said the office would build on years of partnerships and initiatives designed to create long-term opportunities, while the company’s engagement with local partners in Chromebook assembly would support Pakistan’s ambition of becoming a regional technology and export hub.
Qureshi said Google’s programmes, combined with the growing local hardware ecosystem, could help drive higher-value, AI-powered growth across the country.
White briefed the prime minister on the Google’s future plans and said the local office would deepen the company’s commitment to accelerating Pakistan’s digital transformation and build on its existing partnerships to create long-term opportunities for young people and help local businesses reach international markets.
He also expressed satisfaction over the Chromebook assembly line established by Google with local partners, saying there was strong potential for devices assembled in Pakistan to be exported to other countries in the region.
White said Google recognised the significant potential of Pakistan’s young population and was interested in expanding its upskilling programmes in information technology, artificial intelligence, gaming and other emerging areas.
Google said its engagement with Pakistan had already produced several initiatives focused on digital skills, entrepreneurship, developers, gaming, hardware manufacturing and online safety.
Under its digital-skilling initiatives, Google said it had partnered with the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication to expand digital and AI skills, support the growth of startups and the gaming industry, and introduce localised AI tools.
Since 2022, Google said it had awarded 350,000 Career Certificate scholarships in Pakistan, with more than 80% of graduates reporting either a new job or business growth within six months of completing their programmes.
The company said its Google Developer Groups had reached 300,000 developers in Pakistan, while its ‘AI Seekho’ programme had trained 50,000 developers in generative AI and Google Cloud technologies.
Google also highlighted its efforts to strengthen the country’s gaming and applications ecosystem through its Think Apps initiative and App Design Masterclasses, saying the programmes had supported 120 local gaming and app studios developing applications that have achieved significant international downloads.
Another major component of Google’s engagement has been the local assembly of Chromebooks. Google, Tech Valley, Allied and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation launched a local Chromebook assembly line with a target of producing 500,000 devices.
The company said the initiative was intended to support education, create employment and strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to manufacture and potentially export technology hardware.
Google also pointed to its Digital Safar initiative, through which it said more than 300,000 students and 5,000 educators had been trained in digital citizenship and online safety. The programme integrates ‘Be Internet Awesome with Gemini Academy’ to promote responsible use of digital technology.
According to Google, its various programmes and initiatives have equipped more than one million teachers, students, developers and creators in Pakistan with digital skills. The company further stated that its products and programmes had supported Rs3.9 trillion in economic benefits for Pakistani businesses and households and sustained 965,000 jobs.
With a permanent office now established in Pakistan, Google said its focus would shift towards expanding these programmes in cooperation with the government and partners across the country’s digital ecosystem.
The company said its broader objective was to help build a “Future Forward Pakistan” that could benefit from artificial intelligence, digital skills and technology-driven economic opportunities.
The development comes as the government seeks to expand Pakistan’s IT sector and strengthen its position in the regional digital economy. The opening of Google’s local office is expected to provide a more permanent platform for cooperation in areas including digital skills, AI, software development, hardware manufacturing, online safety and support for local businesses.
Shehbaz said the government would continue to invest in Pakistan’s young population and modern technology, while Google’s representatives reaffirmed the company’s interest in expanding its engagement with the country’s rapidly developing digital ecosystem.
