Google has formally opened its local office in Pakistan, a move Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and company officials described as a major step toward deepening technology cooperation.
The inauguration took place on Tuesday when a Google delegation, led by the Global Affairs Vice President of Google Wilson L White, met Shehbaz at the Prime Ministers House.
US Charge dAffaires in Pakistan Natalie Baker also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan offered considerable potential for a productive partnership with Google and for expanding bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
He noted that the country was undergoing a significant digital transformation and that its large youth population could help drive economic progress if given the right opportunities. He added that while progress had been made, substantial work remained to fully harness this potential.
White called the office opening a major milestone, noting that Google had been investing in and committed to Pakistan for more than a decade. He said the new office marked a significant step in that long-term engagement.
The Google vice president also praised Prime Minister Shehbazs goal of transforming Pakistan into a $30 billion IT export hub. He said Google planned to support this vision through three key areas of investment: developing Pakistani talent, strengthening manufacturing and infrastructure to boost hardware exports, and supporting local businesses.
Prime Minister Shehbaz and White jointly inaugurated the office, with the prime minister describing it as a stepping stone toward a long-term partnership between Pakistan and Google.
