Google says its decade-long engagement with Pakistan is entering a new phase as the government targets $30 billion in annual IT exports.
ISLAMABAD: Google has opened its first local office in Pakistan, marking a major expansion of its presence as the government pushes to transform the country into a $30 billion annual IT export hub.
The move comes as Pakistan accelerates efforts to expand its digital economy through technology-driven growth, improved digital infrastructure, investment in startups and greater participation from the private sector.
Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Wilson White led a nine-member delegation that met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad ahead of the office inauguration. U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker also accompanied the delegation.
At the inauguration, White said Google had been investing in and supporting Pakistan for more than a decade and described the opening of the local office as an important milestone.
He said Google’s objectives aligned closely with Pakistan’s ambition to increase annual IT exports to $30 billion. According to White, Google’s activities over the past decade have contributed more than Rs3.9 trillion in economic activity for Pakistani businesses and households and supported more than 960,000 jobs.
White said Google’s future efforts would focus on three areas: developing Pakistani talent, supporting manufacturing and infrastructure linked to hardware exports, and investing in local businesses.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the establishment of Google’s Pakistan office, saying the development would strengthen cooperation between the government and the global technology company.
Sharif also highlighted the importance of technology in empowering young Pakistanis and expanding access to modern digital tools and skills.
During his earlier meeting with the Google delegation, the prime minister praised the company’s contribution to Pakistan’s digital economy and its initiatives aimed at helping young people gain employment opportunities.
The local office is expected to provide a stronger platform for Google to expand its programs and partnerships in Pakistan. For Islamabad, the development comes at a time when increasing IT and IT-enabled services exports has become a key part of its broader strategy to generate jobs, attract investment and strengthen the digital economy.
The scale-up of technology, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital skills and connectivity could play a significant role in determining whether Pakistan can turn its ambitious $30 billion IT export target into a sustainable reality.
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