On August 18, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially inaugurated Google’s first local office in Pakistan, symbolising a significant step in Pakistan’s ongoing digital transformation and its strengthening partnership with the global tech giant.

The ceremony was attended by a nine-member delegation from Google led by Wilson L. White, Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy.

During the ceremony at the Prime Minister’s House, Sharif highlighted the government’s “Digital Nation Pakistan” initiative and said the partnership could help modernise IT infrastructure and train young people with skills in IT and artificial intelligence.

Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Wilson L. White said the company’s activities over the past decade had contributed more than Rs 3.9 trillion to Pakistan’s economy and supported around 960,000 jobs in Pakistan. He said Google aims to support Pakistan’s goal of becoming a $30 billion IT export hub.

Looking ahead, Google plans to extend its involvement in Pakistan’s digital economy. White mentioned the company’s efforts in upskilling over one million Pakistanis and the successful setup of a Chromebook assembly line with local partners in Haripur for domestic and regional markets.

Google is set to announce a significant educational initiative, offering a one-year free subscription to Google Gemini for all students.

Federal Information Technology and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that the local office would connect local talent with global opportunities, fostering growth in areas like Artificial Intelligence, cloud technologies, and entrepreneurship.