Google to Manufacture 0.5 Million Chromebooks in Pakistan by 2026
— September 5, 2024
ISLAMABAD (AIA) Google, the global tech giant, launched an ambitious initiative on Thursday to produce 500,000 Chromebooks in Pakistan by 2026. The first device was ceremoniously presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by Farhan S. Qureshi, Google’s Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, at an event in Islamabad. During the ceremony, PM Shehbaz Sharif lauded Google’s contributions both globally and within Pakistan. He emphasised that Pakistan’s youth possess immense potential in information technology and could significantly contribute to the development of country’s economy. The prime minister urged federal and provincial governments to prioritise education and empowerment of young people, underscoring the nation’s target of achieving USD 25 billion in IT exports over the next five years. He called on IT experts and entrepreneurs to collaborate with the government to meet this goal while promoting small and medium enterprises and freelancers.
PM Sharif also reaffirmed his commitment to digitising Pakistan’s governance system, aiming to make it paperless and combat corruption for the benefit of the nation. He revealed that the government has appointed a new secretary for the Ministry of IT and Telecommunications through a transparent process.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication, highlighted Google’s crucial role in advancing the digitisation of Pakistan, in line with the prime minister’s vision. Farhan Qureshi emphasised that embracing technology will boost economic activities in the country, particularly noting the vast opportunities available for Pakistani freelancers in the tech industry. The event was also attended by the Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal. Development Ahsan Iqbal.