Google has officially opened its Pakistan office in Islamabad, marking a new phase in the technology company’s engagement with the country after more than a decade of investment and programmes.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled the foundation plaque for the office at the Prime Minister’s Office during a meeting with Google Vice President for Global Affairs Wilson L. White.
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker and Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja also attended.
Sharif said that Google’s presence materialised as Pakistan pursued digital transformation across government and other sectors.
He said the country’s young population could help drive economic growth and called for greater cooperation with Google in technology, governance and the digital economy.
White described the office opening as a significant milestone, saying Google had invested in and remained committed to Pakistan for more than a decade.
He said Google’s activities had contributed more than Rs3.9 trillion to economic activity for Pakistani businesses and households over the past 10 years, while supporting more than 960,000 jobs.
White said Google’s objectives were aligned with the government’s ambition to develop Pakistan into a $30 billion information technology export hub.
He said the company would support that goal through investment in digital skills, hardware manufacturing and local businesses.
Google stated that it had awarded 350,000 Career Certificate scholarships in Pakistan since 2022. More than 80 percent of graduates reported securing new employment or expanding their businesses within six months of completing the programme, according to the company.
Google also said it had worked with 120 Pakistani gaming and application studios through its Think Apps and App Design Masterclasses programmes.
The company, alongside Tech Valley, Allied and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation, has launched a local Chromebook assembly line with a planned production capacity of 500,000 devices.
Google highlighted that its Digital Safar initiative had also trained more than 300,000 students and 5,000 educators in digital safety and citizenship.
White further announced that Google Gemini subscriptions would be provided free of charge to students in Pakistan for one year, with a formal announcement expected later in the week.
