Google Opens New Digital Door for Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, August 19, 2026: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has said the opening of Google’s first office in Pakistan will strengthen the country’s technology talent pipeline and accelerate growth across the local digital ecosystem.
Speaking to the media, the minister said Google’s physical presence in Pakistan would encourage other major international technology companies to establish operations in the country, reflecting growing global confidence in Pakistan’s economy and technology sector.
Shaza Fatima credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership for advancing Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda, including the Digital Nation Pakistan initiative, digitisation of government services, digital governance, cashless payments and reforms in the revenue sector.
She said Pakistan’s IT exports had increased consistently by around 20 percent over the past two and a half years, while the country’s freelancing economy had surpassed $1 billion this year.
The minister also highlighted government incentives for the IT industry, including its placement in the final tax regime for exports and a 0.25 percent tax on exports.
Google partnership expands digital skills
Shaza Fatima said Pakistan’s partnership with Google had already produced significant results, with around 350,000 Google certifications completed in recent years.
The government is also working with Google on certification programmes for 3,000 public service officers, she said.
She noted that the AI Seekho programme, organised in collaboration with Google Developers Group, attracted more than 17,000 teams, with women making up around 25 percent of participants.
Around 50,000 developers have also received training in gaming and animation, while Think Apps and App Design Master Classes have trained around 120 companies in gaming and design.
The minister said a Chromebook assembly line had also been inaugurated in Pakistan last year, with locally assembled Google Chromebooks potentially opening opportunities for exports in the future.
IT exports reach $417 million in July
Shaza Fatima said Pakistan’s IT exports recorded an 18 percent year-on-year increase in July, reaching $417 million.
She described the sector’s high trade surplus as particularly important for Pakistan’s foreign exchange position, saying IT exports have an estimated 85–86 percent trade surplus because the sector does not require substantial machinery imports.
“This allows a large share of export earnings to remain in the country,” she said, stressing that technology exports were becoming fundamental to Pakistan’s economy.
The minister said the opening of Googl e’s Pakistan office was the result of coordinated efforts by the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the government and Google.
She expressed optimism that Pakistan would continue to announce positive developments in the technology sector in the coming months.