On Wednesday, the Sindh government took a massive leap into the artificial intelligence era. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah launched the province’s first Google Gemini for Education Corner at NED University. Furthermore, he announced 20,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships for local students. The provincial government rolled out these landmark initiatives in direct collaboration with Google and Tech Valley Pakistan.
Several key figures attended the launch ceremony. Notable attendees included Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, IT Special Assistant Muhammad Ali Rashid, and IT Secretary Zulfikar Ali Nizamani. Google for Education’s Dr. Mazen Abdullah and APAC Digital Advisor Alex Galland also joined the event alongside Tech Valley CEO Umer Farooq, Sindh HEC Chairman Dr. Tariq Rafi, and NED Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tufail.
Sindh has taken a major step toward the future of AI.
CM Murad Ali Shah inaugurated Sindh’s first Google Gemini for Education Corner at NED University, established in collaboration with Google & Tech Valley Pakistan. This initiative will equip students, teachers & researchers. pic.twitter.com/NdRhchilqO— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) July 1, 2026
Empowering Students with Google Scholarships & Certifications
Under this new program, the government will award 20,000 scholarships to students across all public-sector universities in Sindh. Consequently, young learners can earn internationally recognized certifications in high-demand tech fields. These fields include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Project Management, UX Design, Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, and IT Support.
To formalize this effort, the Science & IT Department, Sindh HEC, and Tech Valley Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Meanwhile, the Sindh Chief Minister House posted on X to highlight the achievement. The official statement noted that the newly inaugurated Gemini Corner will effectively equip students, teachers, and researchers for an AI-driven future.
Cabinet Gets Hands-On AI Training
The digital upgrade goes beyond university students. Before signing the MoU, over 40 cabinet members, advisors, and special assistants completed a comprehensive AI training session. Google for Education global experts partnered with Tech Valley to lead this two-hour hands-on workshop at the Chief Minister’s House in Karachi.
During the orientation, CM Murad highlighted AI as a highly transformative technology. He emphasized that governments worldwide now use AI to improve service delivery and decision-making. Therefore, Sindh must join this digital transformation. He pointed out that AI can drastically improve local sectors like health, education, agriculture, urban planning, disaster management, finance, and law enforcement.
However, he clarified a crucial limitation. AI must augment human judgment, not replace it. Elected representatives and public institutions will always carry the ultimate responsibility for leadership, accountability, and public trust.
Financial Hurdles & Severe Load-Shedding
Despite the technological progress, the province faces severe administrative challenges. Later in the day, the Chief Minister spoke to the media at NED University. He revealed that the federal government withheld a massive Rs. 84 billion from the province’s revised budget entitlement in June. Initially, Sindh expected Rs. 175 billion by the end of June. Instead, Islamabad released only Rs. 91 billion. Consequently, this massive shortfall puts intense pressure on the province’s finances and ongoing development commitments.
Additionally, the Chief Minister criticized the prolonged power outages currently crippling Karachi and other regions. He noted that extreme load-shedding of 12 to 18 hours is causing serious hardship for citizens. As a result, he demanded immediate remedial measures to resolve the ongoing energy crisis.
