Google Pakistan Office to Strengthen Tech Talent Pipeline, Local Ecosystem: Shaza
ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 19th Aug, 2026)
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, on Wednesday stated that the opening of Google’s first office in Pakistan would bolster the country’s talent pipeline and offer further backing to the local technology ecosystem.
She expressed her hope that the office would contribute to Pakistan’s talent pipeline and reinforce both the global technology sector and the domestic ecosystem. According to her, the presence of Google and other major international technology companies in Pakistan would encourage more global firms to set up operations in the country.
The minister highlighted the confidence global tech firms have in Pakistan’s economy and leadership, as demonstrated by their physical presence. She attributed this to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s personal leadership and his digital transformation agenda, outlined in the Digital Nation Pakistan initiative.
"Over the last two years, we have seen the digitalization of the federal government, including work on the FBR and revenue side, the digital economy, cashless payments, and digital governance," she noted.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja informed that Pakistan’s IT exports have consistently grown by approximately 20% over the past two and a half years, reflecting private sector growth. She added that the country’s freelancing economy has surpassed $1 billion this year. These developments have contributed to building international confidence.
She extended her gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his personal leadership, commitment, and support for the technology industry. The IT industry was granted special consideration in the budget, including its placement in the final tax regime for exports and a 0.25% tax on exports. Several other measures have also been taken by the prime minister to aid the sector.
The minister shed light on the government’s "whole-of-government" approach and the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). She acknowledged the collaborative efforts of the SIFC, the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, and its departments, which contributed to Google’s office opening in Pakistan.
"This is a collective collaboration and teamwork that made it possible for Google’s office to open in Pakistan today," she said.
Highlighting the government’s partnership with Google, Shaza mentioned that approximately 350,000 Google certifications have been completed in Pakistan in recent years. Currently, the government is collaborating with Google on certification programs for 3,000 public service officers.
She also spoke about the AI Seekho program, organized with the Google Developers Group, which attracted over 17,000 teams, with 25% of participants being women. Around 50,000 developers have been involved in this initiative.
