ISLAMABAD – Global tech giant Google launched an initiative to produce half a million Chromebooks in Pakistan.
The first locally manufactured Chromebook was presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a ceremony held in Islamabad on Thursday.
Scott Beaumont, President of Google Asia Pacific (APAC), handed over the device to the Prime Minister.
In his address, Prime Minister Sharif praised Google for its global and local contributions. He highlighted the potential of Pakistan’s young generation in the field of Information Technology, emphasizing its crucial role in the country’s economic development.
The prime minister urged both federal and provincial governments to leverage all available resources for education and empowerment. He announced a government target of USD 25 billion in IT exports over the next five years, calling on IT experts and entrepreneurs to help achieve this goal while also supporting Small and Medium Enterprises and freelancers.
PM Sharif also committed to making the country’s governance system fully paperless and digitized to combat corruption. He mentioned the appointment of a new Secretary for the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication through a transparent process.
State Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja noted Google’s significant role in Pakistan’s digitization under the Prime Minister’s vision.
Farhan S Qureshi, Google’s Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, emphasized that focusing on technology could boost economic activities and create opportunities for freelancers in various tech fields.
The event was also attended by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal.
