Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the establishment of offices and investment by Google in Pakistan. In a statement today, he highlighted the significance of Google’s decision to set up an assembly line for its products in Haripur, describing it as a positive development for the country.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister emphasized that international IT companies like Google choosing to invest in Pakistan demonstrates confidence in the government’s policies aimed at promoting ease of doing business and attracting investment. He pointed out that local manufacturing of IT products will not only reduce costs for Pakistani consumers but also contribute to the development of an export industry, thereby boosting the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

The Prime Minister reiterated that transforming Pakistan into a digital nation has been a top priority for his government. He mentioned that the government is actively working to empower the youth in the IT sector, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google for IT training being one of the key initiatives. Additionally, he noted that the federal government is distributing laptops to one hundred thousand talented young individuals, equipping them with the necessary resources to excel in the sector.

The Prime Minister also highlighted ongoing IT training programs for youth and women across the country, aimed at enhancing their competitiveness in the international service industry and promoting financial self-sufficiency. Efforts are being made to position Pakistan as a regional hub for information technology.

He concluded by commending the efforts of the Federal Minister for Information Technology and her team for their contributions to the development of the IT sector in Pakistan.