Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday formally inaugurated Google’s office in Islamabad, dubbing it a “major milestone” in the country’s digital transformation and its partnership with the global technology company.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the prime minister congratulated Google’s team and Pakistan’s technology community. He said the office marked a “great day” and an important step toward a long-term partnership between the company and Pakistan.
According to Sharif, Pakistan’s collaboration with Google would help empower the nation’s youth through modern tools, techniques and technology. Welcoming the Google delegation led by Vice President Wilson White, he said the partnership would flourish further and open new avenues of cooperation in the digital sector.
Responding to Sharif in his own address, Wilson thanked the prime minister for hosting the company’s delegation, noting Google had been investing in Pakistan for more than a decade. He said the prime minister’s ambition to make Pakistan a $30 billion I.T. export hub aligned closely with Google’s goals, adding the company has contributed over Rs. 3.9 trillion to economic activity for Pakistani businesses and households over the past 10 years, supporting more than 960,000 jobs.
Wilson said Google is committed to supporting Pakistan’s I.T. export ambitions through investment in Pakistani people, manufacturing and infrastructure for hardware exports, and local businesses. He said digital transformation in Pakistan could only succeed through adequate investment in human resources.
The vice-president further said Google had already helped upskill more than one million Pakistanis through career certificates and by working with schools and teachers to prepare young people for the digital economy. He also announced free one-year subscriptions to Google Gemini for all students in Pakistan, stressing the initiative would further support the country’s youth in acquiring modern digital skills and benefiting from emerging technologies.
Strengthening digital ecosystem
In her address at the inauguration ceremony, I.T. and Telecommunications Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the opening of Google’s office in Pakistan as a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation and a sign of growing confidence in its digital economy.
She said Google’s local presence supported the prime minister’s vision of a “Digital Nation Pakistan.”
According to Khawaja, the government aims to connect Pakistani talent with global opportunities and ensure that digital transformation creates greater opportunities for young people, women, startups and businesses.
She said the Ministry of I.T. and Telecommunications would continue to strengthen its collaboration with Google in areas including digital skills, artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, education, innovation and entrepreneurship.