PM Shehbaz opens Google Pakistan office as $30b IT vision gains support

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Google’s team and Pakistan’s technology community at the opening ceremony. He described the occasion as a "great day" and an important step towards a stronger long-term partnership.

New opportunities in digital sector

Shehbaz said cooperation with Google could help Pakistan strengthen a sector that has become increasingly important in the modern economy. He said modern technology and digital tools could give young Pakistanis better opportunities.

Welcoming Google Vice President Wilson L White, the prime minister said the partnership could grow further and create new areas of cooperation. He also described the opening as a "major milestone" for the country’s digital development.

Google backs Pakistan’s IT ambitions

Wilson thanked the prime minister for hosting the Google delegation and said the company had been investing in Pakistan for more than a decade. He said Google’s goals were closely linked with Shehbaz’s plan to turn Pakistan into a $30bn IT export hub.

According to Wilson, Google has contributed more than Rs3,900,000,000,000 to economic activity involving Pakistani businesses and households over the past decade. He said this support had also helped create more than 960,000 jobs.

Free Gemini access for students

Wilson said Google plans to support Pakistan’s IT ambitions through investment in people, manufacturing, hardware export infrastructure and local businesses. He stressed that digital transformation would not succeed without enough investment in human resources.

He said Google has already helped more than one million Pakistanis develop digital skills through career certificates and programmes involving schools and teachers. Wilson also announced free one-year Google Gemini subscriptions for all students in Pakistan.

The opening of Google’s Islamabad office could give Pakistan a stronger link with one of the world’s biggest technology companies. The focus on skills, students and IT exports suggests that human resources will remain central to the country’s digital growth plans.

The free Gemini offer could also give students easier access to modern artificial intelligence tools. However, the long-term impact will depend on how effectively Pakistan develops digital education, infrastructure and employment opportunities.

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