Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced that Google will manufacture approximately 600,000 Chromebooks each year in Pakistan, marking a major milestone for the country’s technology sector. The project is a public-private partnership with the National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) and the Ministry of Defence Production, based at a facility in Haripur.
During her visit to the facility, the minister highlighted that around 600 young men and women are currently employed, with strong participation from women engineers. She said production will expand to create additional jobs and enable Chromebook exports, providing affordable, high-quality devices particularly for students and the education sector.
Shaza Fatima also revealed that Google has completed its registration in Pakistan and plans to open a local office soon. In addition, the Ministry of IT has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Google to provide tech and AI training for youth, especially girls, including plans to open AI labs in schools across the country. Provincial authorities in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are supporting the initiative.
The minister highlighted recent developments with global tech companies, including Meta, whose regional team trained federal and private media teams on misinformation management, and launched an AI platform in Urdu to promote accessibility. TikTok has also introduced a dedicated STEM feed in Pakistan, providing free educational content in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to students and underprivileged communities.
She noted Pakistan’s growing collaboration with Saudi Arabia, including GO Telecommunications Group’s AI Hub, which allows Pakistani freelancers and small businesses to provide tech services remotely to Saudi firms, while Saudi companies are setting up offshoring offices in Pakistan.
Shaza Fatima credited the Special Economic and Investment Facilitation Council (SEIFC), established in 2022, for streamlining bureaucratic processes, removing business bottlenecks, and enhancing Pakistan’s reputation in global technology markets, creating opportunities for youth in the international tech ecosystem.
