Islamabad, October 25,2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the government will distribute 500,000 Chromebook laptops to students across Pakistan over the next two years under the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebook Scheme.
Addressing the scheme’s launch ceremony in Islamabad on Sunday, the prime minister said providing young people with access to modern technology was the collective responsibility of the state and essential to preparing them to contribute to Pakistan’s development.
“Our boys and girls are the true assets of Pakistan,” he said, adding that the devices would be awarded solely on the basis of students’ ability and merit.
PM Shehbaz expressed hope that the Chromebooks would help students access remote education, pursue higher studies and develop the skills needed to secure employment. He emphasized that financial constraints should not prevent talented young people from realizing their potential.
Recalling previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) governments’ distribution of 600,000 laptops over a decade, he said the current initiative aimed to provide 500,000 Chromebooks within two years.
“These wonderful instruments will be in your hands so that you are not lagging in intelligence and skills,” he said, emphasizing that educational opportunities should be accessible to talented students regardless of their financial circumstances.
The prime minister also highlighted education as a key priority for national development, recalling the recent inauguration of a Daanish School in Islamabad. He said all necessary resources should be provided to support the education and development of the country’s children.
He clarified that students of religious seminaries would also be eligible for the Chromebook scheme, as they had been included in previous laptop distribution initiatives alongside students from universities and colleges.
“Education is a jewel; regardless of where you are from, it will always make you distinguished in society,” the prime minister remarked.
In August, while marking International Youth Day, PM Shehbaz had announced plans to award Chromebook laptops to 250,000 high-achieving students during the year.
The initiative builds on Pakistan’s efforts to expand access to digital technology. Last year, the country launched its first Google Chromebook assembly line, a development described as a milestone for improving access to digital devices and strengthening domestic technology production.
At the time, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said the assembly line would help lay the foundation for job creation, supply-chain development and future technology exports.
