Global tech leader Google has unveiled its initiative, “A Google for Pakistan”, aimed at producing half a million Chromebooks within the country. The milestone event was marked by presenting the first locally manufactured Chromebook to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a ceremony in Islamabad.
Scott Beaumont, Google Asia Pacific (APAC) President, handed over the Chromebook to PM Shehbaz Sharif, who commended Google’s contributions globally and locally.
In his address, PM Shehbaz Sharif praised Pakistan’s young generation, recognizing their potential in information technology. He emphasized their pivotal role in driving the nation’s economic growth. He further announced an ambitious target of achieving $25 billion in IT exports over the next five years and encouraged IT professionals and entrepreneurs to support this vision by proposing strategies to promote small businesses and freelancers.
The prime minister also expressed his commitment to transforming the country’s governance system into a fully digitized, paperless operation to curb corruption. He emphasized the need for federal and provincial governments to utilize resources to educate and empower youth.
Minister of State for IT and Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, highlighted Google’s crucial role in supporting Pakistan’s digital transformation, while Google’s Regional Director, Farhan S. Qureshi, underscored the significant opportunities for freelancers in Pakistan to thrive in various tech sectors.
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Information Minister Tarar and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal were also present at the event.
