Tech giant Google has taken a significant step towards boosting Pakistan’s digital economy by launching the production of half a million Chromebooks within the country. The initiative was marked by the presentation of the first Chromebook to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a ceremony held on Thursday.
At the “Agay Barho: A Google for Pakistan Event,” Google highlighted its ongoing commitment to supporting Pakistan’s digital growth. The company emphasized the potential of the country’s information technology (IT) industry to drive economic recovery, despite facing economic challenges.
A new report, “Agay Barho: Empowering Pakistan’s Digital Economy,” by Access Partnership, revealed that Pakistan’s IT services exports have experienced a remarkable growth of 2.7 times since 2014, reaching 35% of all service-sector exports in 2023. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a crucial role in accelerating these exports by creating new opportunities and expanding access to overseas markets.
The report emphasized Pakistan’s immense potential to increase its digital exports by developing new digital solutions,reducing the cost of accessing foreign markets, and improving export efficiency. It projected that mobile apps, online video services, and cross-border e-commerce could contribute an additional Rs1.8 trillion to Pakistan’s annual export value by 2030.
The event was attended by several government officials, including Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and others.
Scott Beaumont, President of Google Asia Pacific (APAC), presented the locally manufactured Chromebook to Prime Minister Sharif. In his address, the prime minister commended Google’s global contributions and its impact on Pakistan’s technology landscape. He highlighted the capabilities of Pakistan’s young generation in the field of IT and emphasized the need for government support to ensure their education and empowerment.
Prime Minister Sharif set a target of IT exports worth $25 billion in the next five years, which he believed was achievable.He urged IT experts and entrepreneurs to develop plans to assist the government in achieving this goal and to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and freelancers. He also expressed his commitment to digitizing Pakistan’s governance system to eliminate corruption and improve the lives of citizens.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja praised Google’s role in driving Pakistan’s digital economy forward and emphasized the potential of digital exports to transform the country’s economy. She called for collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure Pakistan reaches its full potential in the digital age.
Farhan S Qureshi, Google Pakistan’s country director, highlighted the dynamic and young workforce in Pakistan and its potential to drive significant growth. He mentioned that Google’s AI-powered tools contributed Rs3.9 trillion to the Pakistani economy in 2023 alone. The partnership with Tech Valley, Allied, and NRTC to produce 500,000 Chromebooks locally, with the prime minister’s support, was also a significant milestone.
To fully harness Pakistan’s digital export potential, the report stressed the importance of investing in digital skills training and education for the workforce. By bridging the digital skills gap, Pakistan could add Rs2.8 trillion to its GDP by 2030.
In a separate meeting, a Google delegation led by Scott Beaumont called on Prime Minister Sharif. The prime minister shared the government’s plans to achieve the $25 billion export target and highlighted the allocation of funds for youth training, IT infrastructure improvement, and regulatory enhancement. He emphasized the government’s efforts to completely digitize Pakistan’s economy and sought collaboration with Google in these endeavors.
The prime minister expressed his appreciation for Google’s initiatives that have positively impacted the lives of thousands of Pakistanis. He noted that Google has enabled Pakistani youth to secure close to 1 million jobs in 2023 alone, reflecting the country’s potential in the digital world and Google’s commitment to upskilling and uplifting the youth.
Scott Beaumont announced Google’s decision to further increase its investment in Pakistan and support the government’s initiatives for youth skills training. He emphasized that Pakistan’s large youth population and expanding economy are important factors for a value-driven tech giant like Google.
