Google formally opened its first local office in Pakistan, marking a milestone for the nation’s digital economy and backing the government’s target of reaching 30 billion dollars in annual IT exports.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled the foundation plaque for Google’s first Pakistan office in Islamabad alongside a high-level delegation from the tech company. The delegation was led by Google’s Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy, Wilson White, and accompanied by United States Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker and Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the opening a major milestone in Pakistan’s digital transformation journey. He stated that the local office establishes a long-term partnership aimed at empowering the nation’s youth through modern digital tools and technology. IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja added that Google’s presence reflects growing international trust in Pakistan’s digital ecosystem.
Economic Impact and Key Commitments
During the ceremony Wilson White highlighted Google’s decade-long investment in the region. He shared that over the past ten years, Google contributed more than 3.9 trillion rupees to economic activity for local businesses and households, supporting over 960,000 jobs.
White outlined three primary focus areas to support Pakistan’s 30 billion dollar IT export target.
Human Capital
Investing in youth through skill development programs. Building on the one million Pakistanis already trained via Google Career Certificates and school initiatives.
Hardware Infrastructure
Supporting manufacturing and infrastructure for export-ready hardware.
Local Enterprises
Boosting support and resources for local Pakistani businesses and startups.
In a major announcement for students, Google revealed it will provide a free one-year subscription to its artificial intelligence model, Google Gemini, to all students across Pakistan, with formal rollout details expected later this week.
