ISLAMABAD: Google vice president Wilson White met with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and officially inaugurated Google office in Pakistan, indicating an important milestone in Google's engagement with Pakistan. Wilson said his company was already working and making investments in Pakistan since over a decade ago, adding that setting up shop in Pakistan came after years of association between them.
As Google launched its office in Pakistan, Wilson noted that establishing their presence would further deepen Google's commitment towards the people and businesses of Pakistan.
PM Sharif Welcomes Google's Vice President Wilson White While Google launched Google office in Pakistan
PM Sharif addressed the gathering that included Chargé d'Affaires of the United States to Pakistan Natalie A. Baker during the event. "It is indeed quite intriguing that you are visiting Pakistan at a point when Pakistan is experiencing a significant digital transformation in numerous aspects of governance," Sharif noted regarding the timing of Google's arrival.
Google's visit to Pakistan took place amid several ongoing efforts by the Pakistani government toward a digital transformation within key governance domains.
"The youth demographic provides Pakistan with a huge opportunity for transforming Pakistan's future," said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the country's demographic advantage. The Prime Minister added that while there was a lot going on, Pakistan still had much more ground to cover. The remarks came after Google announced plans to further deepen its engagement in Pakistan.
Wilson White thanked the Prime Minister for hosting Google's delegation, stating how his first visit to Pakistan and establishment of the company's local office represented "a big milestone and something that was a very long time coming." Discussing the launch of Google's office in Pakistan, Wilson White stated that Google has been invested in Pakistan for well over a decade now, adding that "I think reaching this milestone where we're launching our office locally is a very special occasion."
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Wilson White explained how Prime Minister Sharif’s vision of developing Pakistan into a $30 billion IT exports center was in sync with the objectives set out by Google for Pakistan. “In the last decade, Google has generated Rs3.9 trillion worth of economic impact for the Pakistani business community, creating 960,000 jobs, which is only scratching the surface of what we intend to do,” White remarked.
Google had played an integral role in Pakistan's aim to generate $30 billion in IT exports by making investments across three fronts, according to Wilson White. These include investments made in Pakistan's people, manufacturing and infrastructure linked to hardware exports, and finally local enterprises. The official emphasized that without significant investment in the country’s human resources, Pakistan’s digital revolution will fail to meet its objectives.
According to Wilson White, Google has helped skill more than a million Pakistanis via its career certificate program as well as working with educational institutions and trainers to develop future workers’ abilities to thrive within the digital economy.
A review of Google’s activities shows that this approach to workforce development represents a critical part of Google’s long-term strategy for operating in Pakistan. The company does not limit itself to purely commercial considerations but focuses on creating skilled human capital resources within the country.
In an important disclosure, Wilson White further revealed that Google is expected to announce mid-week plans to offer free subscriptions to its Google Gemini services for the entire year for all students. The development may help Pakistanis gain firsthand experience with cutting-edge AI technology without having to pay anything.
In his address, Wilson White referred to how developing digital skills was important for Pakistan in achieving success in the global IT exports industry. With the launch of Google's student-centric plan through its Islamabad office, it is evident that Google is aiming for growth through multiple channels in Pakistan.