Thu, September 17, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday unveiled the foundation plaque of Google’s Pakistan office, describing the development as a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation journey.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), a nine-member Google delegation headed by the company’s Vice President Wilson L. White met with the prime minister in Islamabad. US Embassy Islamabad Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker was also present with the delegation.
Welcoming the Google team at the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz noted that it was the delegation’s first trip to Pakistan and expressed hope that it would be followed by frequent visits in the future.
The premier said Google had become a familiar name for people in Pakistan as well as around the globe, adding that there was considerable potential for a strong partnership with the technology giant that could further expand cooperation in several fields.
He described the timing of the visit as particularly significant, as Pakistan was currently pursuing digital transformation in a number of areas of governance.
PM Shehbaz also highlighted the country’s large young population, saying its potential could be harnessed to help strengthen the national economy.
Wilson L. White described his first visit to Pakistan as a great honour and said the opening of Google’s local office represented an important milestone.
He said the occasion reflected the culmination of a commitment that had continued for many years, noting that Google had been investing in Pakistan and remained committed to the country for more than a decade.
White said PM Shehbaz Sharif’s objective of turning Pakistan into a $30 billion IT export hub was closely aligned with Google’s own ambitions.
He told the meeting that Google’s activities over the past decade had generated more than Rs3.9 trillion in economic activity for Pakistani businesses and households and helped support more than 960,000 jobs. However, he stressed that the company viewed this as only the beginning of its engagement with Pakistan.
The Google vice president said the company would support Pakistan’s IT export ambitions through three key areas: developing Pakistani talent, investing in manufacturing and infrastructure linked to export-oriented hardware, and strengthening local businesses.
According to White, sustainable digital transformation depended heavily on investment in people. He said Google had already helped more than one million Pakistanis develop new skills through its career certificate programmes, working alongside educational institutions and teachers to prepare the workforce for the country’s evolving digital economy.
Wilson White also announced that students across Pakistan would be offered free access to Google Gemini subscriptions for one year. A formal announcement regarding the initiative, he added, would be made later in the week.
During the ceremony for the unveiling of the Google Pakistan office foundation plaque, PM Shehbaz and members of the Google delegation were joined by US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker and Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Congratulating the Google team and Pakistani officials, PM Shehbaz described the occasion as an important day for the partnership between Pakistan and Google.
He said the development could serve as the beginning of a long-term collaboration in a sector that was not only promising but also essential to Pakistan’s current needs.
The prime minister said that the government was committed to equipping the country’s young people with modern technology, skills and tools.
He thanked Wilson White for travelling to Pakistan and voiced hope that the visit would lead to many more such engagements each year.
PM Shehbaz expressed confidence that the partnership between Pakistan and Google would continue to expand and flourish over time.
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker also congratulated the prime minister on the occasion.
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