Google to Produce 0.5 Million Chromebooks in Pakistan by 2026

Global tech giant, Google, Thursday launched an initiative to produce half a million Chromebooks in Pakistan, marking the occasion by presenting the first device to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a ceremony in Islamabad. President of Google Asia Pacific (APAC) Scott Beaumont presented locally manufactured Chromebooks to the prime minister. Addressing the ceremony, the prime minister appreciated the contribution of Google on a global level and in Pakistan as well. He said that the young generation of the country was capable in the field of information technology and could play a key role in the economic development of Pakistan. He said the federal and provincial governments should utilize all possible resources to ensure their education and empowerment. The prime minister informed that the government had set a target of IT exports worth $25 billion in the next five years. He asked the IT experts and entrepreneurs to present a plan to help the government in achieving the target besides promoting Small and Medium Enterprises and freelancers. The premier also resolved to make the country’s governance system totally paperless to get rid of corruption. Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Google was playing an important role in the digitization of Pakistan. Regional Director of Google for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, Farhan S. Qureshi said focusing on technology would help increase economic activities in the country. He highlighted that there were huge opportunities for freelancers in Pakistan to move forward in various fields of technology.