Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar inaugurated Pakistan’s first Google Chromebook assembly line, hailing the launch as a “historic milestone” set to significantly improve access to digital tools nationwide.
Addressing the ceremony in Islamabad, Dar celebrated the robust partnership between Google and Pakistan, calling the initiative a “defining moment for the country’s digital transformation.” The Deputy PM emphasized that localizing the assembly of Chromebooks would ensure digital tools are more affordable and inclusive, particularly benefiting the crucial education sector.
Economically, the assembly line holds immense significance, laying the groundwork for job creation, supply chain development, and boosting future tech exports.
**Strategic Collaboration and Digital Development**
Outlining the strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU), Dar confirmed that Google and Pakistan would collaborate on several major fronts. These efforts include providing skills training to 100,000 developers nationwide and launching specialized programs tailored for the rapidly growing gaming and startup industries.
Furthermore, the collaboration will advance localized AI-powered solutions, such as deploying Android services for public safety, and award 100,000 Google Career certificates to equip citizens with globally recognized, world-class digital credentials.
Stressing the significance of Google’s decision to open a local office in Pakistan, Dar remarked that this move is not merely symbolic but a source of national pride and a powerful endorsement of the nation’s digital potential. He framed it as a strategic milestone with far-reaching implications for the digital economy, the innovation ecosystem, and global investor confidence. The local presence ensures closer engagement with Pakistan’s developers, startups, and entrepreneurs, enabling direct collaboration, capacity building, and improved access to global platforms.
Dar specifically acknowledged the contributions of Defence Production Minister Muhammad Raza Hayat and Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) National Coordinator Lt Gen Sarfraz Ahmad in achieving these efforts.
**Ministerial Support and Future Expansion**
Offering her perspective at the launch, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the assembly line as a transformative step, one that successfully merges technology, manufacturing, and education. She reaffirmed the government’s dedication to accelerating Pakistan’s digital journey.
The launch follows foundational efforts by Google for Education’s country partner Tech Valley, the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), and Australia-based manufacturer Allied, who initially announced their intent to establish a Chromebook assembly line in Haripur. Looking ahead, Tech Valley officials have also pledged support for establishing a manufacturing facility in Punjab to further boost technology-driven education and local IT infrastructure.
