Pakistan minister claims Google’s new laptop facility created 600 jobs

Pakistan’s new Chromebook assembly facility has created 600 jobs, Information Technology and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said this week, adding US tech giant Apple will open its first official store in the country next month.

The country launched its first Google Chromebook production facility this month in Haripur, in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The project was established under a public-private partnership involving the government, Google, Tech Valley, National Radio and Telecommunications Corporation (NRTC), and Allied Corporation.

Pakistan aims to scale production to 500,000 Chromebooks by 2026, with officials saying Google’s presence will boost technology transfer and create more local jobs.

“Technology transfer has already created 600 jobs in that single assembly line,” Khawaja told Arab News in an interview. “I think that’s one of the biggest developments for Pakistan this year — that Google has announced its physical presence in the country.”

She said the Chromebooks assembled in Pakistan will meet international quality standards and come with reliable after-sales services. The minister added that Google’s investment and a long-term memorandum of understanding for youth training programs signal growing confidence in Pakistan’s economy.

“Google coming into the country poses a lot of confidence in our economy and its overall stability and growth,” Khawaja said.

She said devices will be priced to make them accessible to students, helping promote digital inclusion in schools nationwide. “When we distributed laptops in previous government programs, we saw that it was not just about a device — it was life-changing for students, their families and even their communities,” she said.

Apple to enter Pakistan in December

Khawaja also revealed that Apple will officially enter Pakistan’s market in December through a partnership with Airlink Communication Ltd, one of the country’s largest smartphone and electronics distributors.

“As far as Apple is concerned, they’re coming in with a partner,” the minister said. “Next month, inshallah, we will be opening the first official Apple Store in Pakistan.”

Analysts said the entry of two major US tech firms — Google and Apple — within weeks of each other marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s technology sector and signals renewed investor confidence in the country’s digital economy.