ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan and Google on Friday signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the country\u2019s digital transformation, expand digital skills and promote artificial intelligence-driven innovation, with an ambitious target of taking Pakistan\u2019s IT exports and digital economy to $30 billion by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif witnessed the signing ceremony and hosted a special reception in honour of the visiting Google leadership delegation, a Prime Minister\u2019s Office news release said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the agreement as an important milestone in Pakistan\u2019s partnership with Google and said it would help empower the country\u2019s youth with modern tools, techniques and technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful day in our partnership. It\u2019s a stepping stone towards a long journey of contributing towards a field that is very important,\u201d the prime minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said Pakistan was undergoing a major digital transformation, particularly in the area of governance, and stressed the need to harness the potential of the country\u2019s young population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have a youth bulge and we can really turn around Pakistan\u2019s fortunes,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ceremony was attended by Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Wilson White, Vice President Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, US Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires Natalie A. Baker and senior government officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the MoU, Google will provide 150,000 Google Career Certificates to Pakistani youth in 2026, equipping them with market-ready skills in high-demand technical fields and helping expand employment opportunities in high-growth areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The agreement also envisages exploring the provision of advanced AI tools to students, including one-year free access to Google AI Plus and Gemini Notebook, to support academic and research pursuits and enhance the competitiveness of Pakistani youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A key component of the agreement is the establishment of a dedicated Google AI Centre of Excellence in Islamabad. The centre will train Pakistani youth and human resources according to international technology market standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The MoU also provides for collaboration in mobile applications and the gaming industry, strengthening digital payment ecosystems, digital trade and the use of AI in government and key economic sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the Prime Minister\u2019s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) transformation plan, Google will support the FBR in deploying AI to modernise public service delivery, streamline government operations and accelerate its digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The partnership will also promote the use of AI in agriculture for crop monitoring, yield forecasting and sustainable farming practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital platforms will be utilised to help small and medium enterprises expand their presence in international markets, while Pakistan and Google will work together to support local app developers and gaming studios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two sides will also explore measures to strengthen the country\u2019s digital payments ecosystem and expand digital trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secretary of the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication Zarrar Hasham Khan and Google\u2019s Head of South-East Asia and South Asia Public Policy David Weller signed the MoU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minister for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government had worked over the past two years to modernise Pakistan\u2019s digital infrastructure, facilitate business and expand the country\u2019s IT skills base and human resource capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She described the agreement as a testament to the progress made under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s leadership in advancing the country\u2019s digital transformation agenda and positioning Pakistan as a competitive player in the global digital economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Google Cluster Director for Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand Farhan Qureshi said the collaboration represented a major step towards unlocking Pakistan\u2019s digital potential and empowering the next generation of talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said Google would support Pakistan\u2019s journey towards a $30 billion digital economy by expanding access to critical skills, advanced AI tools and sector-specific innovations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The MoU also provides for the establishment of a joint task force comprising representatives of the government, Google and key industry stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The task force will identify impediments and enablers to IT export growth, including an investment framework for hardware manufacturing and services, expansion of global market access and upskilling of human resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The agreement is aimed at creating new employment and investment opportunities, strengthening Pakistan\u2019s digital ecosystem and supporting the government\u2019s broader national digitalisation agenda.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan and Google on Friday signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the country\u2019s digital transformation, expand digital skills and promote artificial intelligence-driven innovation, with an ambitious target of taking Pakistan\u2019s IT exports and digital economy to $30 billion by 2030. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif witnessed the signing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest","category-pakistan"],"yoast_head":"\n