Google opens local office in Pakistan
Google officially inaugurated its local office in Pakistan on Tuesday, a move described by both the company and the Pakistani government as a significant step in their partnership. The ceremony, held at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Google's Global Affairs Vice President Wilson L. White, according to state-run PTV. US Chargé d'Affaires Natalie Baker also attended.
Speaking at the event, PM Sharif said there was "great scope" for a fruitful partnership with Google and for strengthening bilateral ties in various areas. He noted that Pakistan is "going through a major digital transformation" and highlighted the country's "youth bulge," saying, "We can really turn around Pakistan's fortunes." White described the visit as a "big milestone," noting that Google has been investing in and committed to Pakistan for over a decade. He appreciated PM Sharif's vision of turning Pakistan into a $30 billion IT export hub and outlined three pillars of partnership: investing in Pakistani people, manufacturing and infrastructure, and local businesses. PM Sharif and White formally inaugurated the office, with the prime minister terming it a "stepping stone" towards a long-term partnership.
MoU signed for digital cooperation
On Friday, Pakistan and Google signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the country's digital transformation, according to an official press release from the Prime Minister's Office. The MoU was signed during a reception hosted by PM Sharif at the PM House.
The agreement covers cooperation in digital skills, IT exports, and innovation. Under its terms, Pakistani students will receive free access for one year to Google's advanced AI tools, including Google AI Plus and Gemini. The PMO said the two sides agreed to expand the Google Career Certificates programme, with Google targeting 150,000 certificates in Pakistan for 2026. They also agreed to establish an AI centre of excellence in Islamabad to train youth according to global market requirements.
The MoU includes cooperation on using AI for public service delivery, with specific mention of AI-powered data analytics in the Federal Board of Revenue's digitisation programme. Other areas of cooperation include AI in agriculture for crop monitoring and sustainable farming, digital payments, and enhancing the competitiveness of Pakistan's mobile apps and gaming industry.
Student access to Gemini
At a separate event, Google Vice President Wilson White announced that the company would offer all Pakistani students a free one-year subscription to Google Gemini. White's announcement was reported by BOL News, which said an official announcement about the initiative is expected later this week. White, speaking at the event, said PM Sharif's vision of making Pakistan a hub for $30 billion in IT exports aligns with Google's goals.
White also provided figures on Google's economic impact in Pakistan, saying the company has contributed more than 3.9 trillion Pakistani rupees to economic activity over the past decade and that its ecosystem has supported more than 960,000 jobs. He added that the opening of the local office was "just the beginning."
Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja welcomed Google to Pakistan in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after the event.
Interior minister calls for regulations
A day after the office inauguration, Interior Minister Tallal Chaudhry met a Google delegation led by Senior Director David Weller, with Google Pakistan's representative Kyle Gardner also present. According to the interior ministry, the meeting covered digital security, the effective use of social media against terrorism, the timely regulation of online content, and mutual cooperation.
Chaudhry told the delegation that digital platforms must take into account Pakistan's "specific circumstances," noting that the country's geographical location is "different from other countries." He said terrorists use social media to spread fear and promote terrorism, and that "proactive monitoring of social media is essential." Weller assured the minister that Google would cooperate with Islamabad to create a safe digital environment. Attendees included National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency Director General Khurram Ali, Ministry of Interior Joint Secretary Malik Sanaullah, and members of the Social Media Protection and Regulation Authority.
Government officials highlight potential
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the office opening would strengthen the talent pipeline and attract more global firms to Pakistan. She noted that Pakistan's IT exports grew by around 20% over the past two and a half years and that the freelancing economy exceeded $1 billion this year. Khawaja credited the "whole-of-government" approach, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and ministry efforts for the office's opening.
Google's local office in Karachi was opened nearly four years after the company first registered in Pakistan, according to a Dawn report that also mentioned the $500,000 investment for digital safety announced on Thursday, supporting the Digital Pasban initiative aimed at providing 200,000 households with Urdu-language safety toolkits.