Pakistan’s quiet tech turning point
Pakistan enters each new economic year with the same uneasy mix of hope and exhaustion. Inflation continues to unsettle households, foreign reserves rise and fall without warning, and policymakers describe recovery in terms that feel more like survival than growth. In offices across Karachi and Lahore, young engineers look for jobs that are not always there, while factories in Faisalabad run below capacity. The country is still trying to find its footing after years of volatility, yet trying just as hard not to fall behind in a world moving at a faster digital pace.
On one side, Pakistan’s IT sector has become a rare source of optimism. Freelancers have quietly placed the country among the world’s top remote-work hubs. Software exports have grown, crossing three billion dollars a year. Startups, though slowed by funding shortages, have created pockets of innovation in logistics, fintech and commerce. And on the other side, the country remains almost entirely dependent on imported hardware. Laptops, desktops, tablets, servers, even school computer-lab machines continue to arrive from abroad at costs the economy struggles to absorb.
Meanwhile, foreign technology companies have entered Pakistani manufacturing only cautiously. Mobile phone giants like Samsung, Xiaomi, Tecno, Vivo and Infinix have set up assembly plants. Appliance makers like Haier and Dawlance have been here for years. More than 25 smartphone manufacturers now operate inside the country, helping localise up to 90 percent of devices sold in the domestic market. But beyond mobile phones and home appliances, Pakistan has rarely been viewed as a place where global hardware companies could anchor a long-term manufacturing presence.
This is why the arrival of a technology assembly line in any new category, especially computing, carries weight beyond the device itself. Even basic assembly can trigger a slow shift in local capability. It creates technical roles, brings in global processes, strengthens vendor networks, and gives governments a reason to prioritise industrial policy. For an economy searching for stability, these are not small changes.
It is in this landscape that Google has taken a step Pakistan has been waiting for. Earlier this month, the company announced the launch of its first Chromebook assembly line in Haripur. The devices are simple, cloud-focused laptops, assembled through a partnership involving Google, Tech Valley, Allied and NRTC. Yet the move signals something larger than a new product entering the market. It marks the arrival of a global technology player in a part of Pakistan’s industrial ecosystem that has long remained underdeveloped.
What happens next, and how Pakistan chooses to build on this moment, may shape the country’s digital future far more than the machines rolling off the line today.
A small start with big meaning
For years, Pakistan has spoken about moving from being a passive consumer of global technology to becoming a place where at least part of that technology is built. Those conversations have usually appeared in policy documents, investment proposals or speeches that promised industrial revival. But the gap between intention and reality has remained wide. Hardware manufacturing never moved beyond small-scale mobile phone plants, and even those arrived decades after neighbouring countries had already begun building their electronics ecosystems.
This is why the launch of a Chromebook assembly line matters, not as a grand breakthrough but as a quiet correction in a landscape that has long needed one. It is not a full manufacturing facility, and it does not signal that Pakistan has suddenly entered the global hardware race. What it does represent is a shift, a slow but meaningful move toward localising a category of technology that Pakistan has relied almost entirely on foreign markets to supply.
The assembly line in Haripur is the result of an unusual partnership between Google, Tech Valley, Allied and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation. Each entity brings a different strength. Tech Valley has spent the past few years working on digital programmes inside schools and communities. Allied brings distribution and operational experience. NRTC adds state-backed infrastructure, which gives the project a degree of institutional stability rarely seen in private-sector tech initiatives in Pakistan. Google anchors the effort with global standards, supply chains and its long-term presence in the country.
At the launch event, Google’s Country Director for Pakistan and Frontier Markets, Farhan Qureshi, described the moment as an extension of the company’s ongoing work in the country. He said the assembly line “marks the production of our ‘Made in Pakistan Chromebook’ journey,” describing it as part of a broader commitment that has taken years to reach this point. His words framed the initiative as the beginning of something rather than a standalone experiment.
Pakistan has waited a long time for this kind of beginning. Other countries in the region, including Vietnam, Indonesia and India, used similar early-stage assembly projects as stepping stones, gradually building the confidence and capability needed for component manufacturing and export-led growth. Pakistan has not had that continuity. The Chromebook line does not close that gap overnight, but it gives the country a starting point that has been missing for far too long.
It is this starting point, modest yet significant, that makes the moment matter.
The money question
For years, Pakistan has floated between optimism and hesitation when it comes to building a hardware manufacturing base. Each announcement brings a sense of possibility, but the country’s economic history also forces a more careful reading. The launch of a Chromebook assembly line sits somewhere in the middle of these realities. On one side, it signals movement at a time when Pakistan is desperate for new export engines. And on the other side, it raises old questions about scale, competitiveness and policy clarity.
To understand where this moment stands in a broader economic context, The Express Tribune spoke to economist Ammar Habib Khan. With a background that spans applied economics, financial systems and industrial policy analysis, his work often focuses on the conditions needed for Pakistan to build long term competitiveness.
“Local device assembly adds value as long as it can be exported and enhance ability of the country to be export oriented,” he said while talking to The Express Tribune. In his view, the economic benefit does not come automatically from assembling hardware inside Pakistan. It comes from whether this activity contributes toward building an export footprint. Without that, he warned that, “In absence of a clear export strategy, imported substitution eventually leads to higher prices for consumers, destroying consumer surplus in the process.”
The discussion around import bills is where the economic weight of this project sits. Pakistan spends heavily on electronics, and reducing this burden feels like a logical step. But Habib pointed out that import substitution, on its own, does not shift the country’s external vulnerabilities. “We need a clear focus on export promotion, rather than import substitution,” he said. “Import substitution does not necessarily lead to consumer surplus. An export promotion strategy enhances competitiveness and makes industry more competitive.”
This is where the idea of scale becomes important. Qureshi from Google, mentioned that “Alongside our manufacturing partners, we will have the capacity to produce half a million high-quality and secure Chromebooks right here in Pakistan.”
The number is ambitious, but as Habib explained, numbers alone cannot transform an industry. Pakistan has tried assembly before, particularly in the smartphone sector, but the country never built the ecosystem around it. “Assembly to be effective needs an ecosystem,” he said. “In the context of mobile phones, we needed ecosystem of plastics for casing, scale for batteries and cameras, and so on. Any assembly needs development of an ecosystem at scale before it can be competitive for export.”
Still, moments like this do create jobs and opportunities. NRTC will see direct employment, and suppliers in packaging, logistics and warehousing may find new openings. Qureshi highlighted this saying, “The Chromebook initiative will also generate essential local manufacturing jobs and cultivate new avenues for future export opportunities for Pakistan.” This reflect the optimism around the project, even if the larger conditions required for deep transformation remain uncertain.
The direction is clear. If Pakistan wants to become part of a regional electronics manufacturing ecosystem, it cannot rely on assembly alone. Habib put it simply. “We need to have an ecosystem development strategy.” That means moving quickly from assembling to manufacturing components, but with an outlook that is outward-facing. As he said, “Assembly needs to be immediately followed by manufacturing of local components, with a clear export orientation. Instead of meeting local demand, the focus needs to be on export markets.”
In the middle of all these economic calculations, it is easy to forget why this assembly line matters in the first place. The numbers, the export ambitions and the questions of scale tell one story, but the real test of this moment lies in the classrooms where the device is meant to end up. Pakistan’s ability to compete, grow and build new industries eventually depends on the kind of digital foundations its children receive today. What happens inside those classrooms, and how a low-cost Chromebook can change the way students learn, carries an importance that goes beyond economics.
Chromebooks for classrooms
In many parts of the world, education technology has quietly shifted from being an add-on to becoming an essential part of how children learn. Chromebooks sit at the centre of that transformation. Their rise in classrooms across the United States, Europe and parts of Asia has less to do with branding and more to do with a simple equation: low-cost hardware, cloud-based learning and devices that demand almost no maintenance. For school systems that struggle with budgets and IT infrastructure, this combination has often made the difference between digital learning that stays on paper and digital learning that reaches real students.
In Pakistan, where most public schools still operate in a pre-digital environment, the Chromebook assembly line arrives at an interesting time. It raises a question that extends beyond technology. Can a country where children grow up using only mobile phones finally make the transition to real computer skills inside the classroom?
This question has shaped much of Tech Valley’s work in recent years. Umar Farooq, CEO of Tech Valley Pakistan and MENA, reminded that the motivation behind this effort began long before the assembly line. “Behind the scenes, the ‘why’ for Tech Valley was simple but profound: to make equitable, quality education accessible to every child in Pakistan,” he said. He explained that the team envisioned an ecosystem, not just a product. “We clubbed the products offered in the Pakistani market and built programs around it to help with adoption and local relevance.”
Farooq spoke openly about the journey Tech Valley has taken across Pakistan. “The impact has been a true roller coaster, from an elementary school in Bhakkar/Daddu to a university campus in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad. We’ve seen digital literacy transform students from simple users to future creators,” he said. “This widespread change, touching elementary, middle schools, and universities, is only possible because we built true Public-Private Partnerships.”
The Chromebook itself fits into this arc because the device removes many of the barriers that often stop schools from going digital. Chromebooks are inexpensive compared to traditional laptops, and their cloud-based system means teachers do not have to worry about software installations or updates. Tech Valley’s plan to introduce Chromebook Access Hubs and affordable device-plus-internet bundles is meant to answer a more pressing challenge: Pakistan’s large population of out-of-school children, many of whom never touch a computer until adulthood.
For education technology expert Imran Ahmed, who has spent more than a decade working on digital learning models, believes devices alone are not enough. While talking to The Express Tribune, he said, “Children who grow up only on mobile phones learn to consume content, not create it. A Chromebook introduces them to typing, coding and problem-solving, which is the real shift Pakistan needs.” But he also warned that teacher training remains the weakest link. “If teachers are not trained, even the best device stays locked in a cupboard,” he said.
As Tech Valley expands its education model to the Middle East and positions Pakistan as a regional tech support hub, the question now is whether the system around it will be ready too. But the conversation cannot stop at students alone. What happens outside these classrooms, in training centres and workshops and on factory floors, will decide how far this moment can really go. Where there are children learning on Chromebooks, there are adults who must build, maintain and support them, and the skills Pakistan will need to sustain this shift.
The workforce Pakistan needs
Beyond the hardware and the economics, the Chromebook assembly line points toward a larger, long-term challenge Pakistan has struggled to address, the country’s shortage of skilled workers. For years, Pakistan’s conversations around technology have focused heavily on software talent, developers and freelancers. But an assembly line of this scale brings a different kind of demand, technicians, repair specialists, quality-control operators, hardware assemblers and supervisors who understand how modern production floors work. Without this layer, the most promising projects remain dependent on imported expertise.
Google’s strategy for Pakistan acknowledges this gap. Qureshi from Google, reminded that the company’s focus on skilling predates the assembly line. “Our first pillar is on building skills, as we recognise that Pakistan’s most valuable digital exports come from its Pakistani talent,” he said. For years, Google has been investing in digital training programs, and Qureshi added, “We’ve provided world-class learning through multiple initiatives that have empowered more than one million teachers, students, freelancers, developers and creators with digital skills.”
The new MoU to train 100,000 developers is meant to build on that momentum. “We have formalised an MOU with the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication to expand digital and AI skilling programs for the community, the gaming developer industry and startups,” he said. He also linked this directly to Pakistan’s broader economic ambitions, noting, “The partnership with MoITT will be critical to transforming the digital ecosystem and help boost export-led growth for Pakistan.”
But the assembly line creates another demand: a technical workforce that can support manufacturing at scale. These are the people who will repair faulty units, manage quality checks, maintain machinery and keep the factory operational. Pakistan has historically ignored this middle layer, even though it forms the backbone of manufacturing economies. It is also where the country faces its most serious shortage.
Farooq from Tech Valley, explained why this workforce matters. “We envisioned an ecosystem, not just a product.” His line reflects a deeper reality: hardware projects cannot survive on developers alone. They require technical colleges, certification programs, and on-ground training that reaches beyond major cities.
Farooq also spoke about how Pakistan is beginning to build the kind of capability that can support these systems at home and abroad. “We are becoming the Regional Tech Support Hub, it is a reality, not just an ambition,” he said. That shift, if sustained, could open up a new category of jobs for Pakistani workers, roles that lie between software and heavy manufacturing, and that connect the assembly line to global markets.
In that sense, the skills conversation is not separate from the Chromebook story. It sits at the center of it, shaping whether this milestone becomes a one-off achievement or the beginning of a workforce ready for the next decade.
In that sense, the skills conversation is not separate from the Chromebook story. It sits at the center of it, determining whether Pakistan can move from isolated projects to something that resembles a real technology pathway. The assembly line may train workers for today, but the choices Pakistan makes around talent, capability and consistency will shape what comes next.
Pakistan’s tech future
Every major shift begins with a moment that feels bigger than the announcement itself. For Pakistan, Google’s decision to assemble Chromebooks on local soil carries that kind of symbolism. It signals that a global technology company is willing to anchor part of its hardware journey in a country that has long struggled to turn potential into performance. But symbolism alone is only the surface. What matters is what Pakistan does with it.
Pakistan has spoken for years about building a hardware ecosystem, but most attempts faded before they could find scale. The Chromebook line does not solve that gap, but it does give the country a starting point at a time when the global hardware landscape is evolving. In Qureshi’s words, this moment is part of a larger direction. “The launch is an inflection point to set the way for the years to come,” he said. His point was not about volume or speed, but about the significance of Pakistan finally entering a space it remained absent from for far too long.
For the country’s youth, the opportunity is sharper. A generation that grew up freelancing on mobile phones is now seeing a pathway into hardware support roles, device repair, testing labs, and cloud-enabled services built around affordable Chromebooks. Hybrid work is expanding globally and low-cost hardware remains in demand across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. This creates room for Pakistan to position itself as a provider of reliable, entry-level devices and the talent that supports them.
Reliability, not mass-production, will be Pakistan’s gateway to exports. The difference between assembly and manufacturing matters here. Assembly gives a country activity, but manufacturing gives it ownership. As Farooq reminded, Pakistan’s ambition extends beyond its borders. “This growth is key to realising a national aspiration: The ‘Made in Pakistan’ Brand a Global Brand.” His confidence reflects the idea that the country is not merely making devices, but preparing to build a reputation around them.
Yet the risks remain unchanged: sudden import restrictions, dollar shortages, shifting regulations and the political instability that always slows long-term planning. These challenges will test every step Pakistan takes. But they also sit alongside opportunities that did not exist a decade ago, AI-focused devices, regional demand for low-cost hardware, cloud-based learning, and a young workforce eager to work in tech if given the chance.
The Chromebook assembly line is a signal. It tells Pakistan that it can either build an ecosystem around this moment or let it pass like so many before it. If the country chooses the first path, this small beginning may well mark the start of a different kind of tech future, one that is shaped not by promises, but by the people ready to build it.