ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, has officially launched a nationwide initiative to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks with MiFi internet connectivity to high-performing and worthy pupils based solely on merit on Sunday.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the prime minister underlined that providing the nation’s youth with cutting-edge education and technology is a fundamental government duty and the secret to creating a thriving Pakistan.
He emphasized the initiative’s inclusivity by pointing out that kids from a variety of educational backgrounds—including mainstream schools and madaris—are receiving computers based only on talent and diligence, enabling them to access e-libraries and pursue high-quality education.
The prime minister declared that these Chromebooks would be given to the worthy students within two years and emphasized that poverty should not prevent the nation’s youth from pursuing higher education.
He thanked Tokyo Technology and the Care Foundation for collaborating on the Chromebook project and emphasized that equipping the country’s children with contemporary tools is essential to enabling them to compete internationally.
During his address, the prime minister highlighted the expansion of educational infrastructure, noting the recent inauguration of a Daanish School in Islamabad alongside 27 other campuses currently under construction nationwide, designed to offer state-of-the-art facilities and curricula.
To underscore the merit-based nature of the programme, the prime minister shared inspiring stories of top achievers overcoming adversity, including Syed Shams Raza—a student living in an orphanage whose father was a martyr—and Alma Mahak, a dedicated student from a madrassah.
He recalled that previous laptop schemes had also successfully reached prominent religious seminaries.
Expressing confidence in the initiative’s broad impact, the prime minister noted that the scheme’s internet connectivity features will extend benefits to family members, ultimately reaching an estimated 2.5 million people.
He also recalled how laptops distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic served as a crucial lifeline for students to continue their education and earn a livelihood.
The event was attended by ministers, parliamentarians, speaker Punjab Assembly, educationists, vice chancellors, ambassadors, and foreign guests.
Addressing the Chromebook distribution ceremony, Federal Minister for Federal Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui emphasized that the government is striving to elevate Pakistan’s global standing by adapting to evolving educational trends.
He noted that transforming the country’s 150 million youth into a productive national asset is crucial to ensuring the youth bulge drives progress rather than becoming a challenge.
Tokyo Technology Care Foundation (TTC) Chairman Rashid Minhas spoke about the partnership, stating that the memorandum signed with the government aims to empower students to become creators in the digital world and spur a national digital revolution.
Meanwhile, PM’s Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan praised the prime minister’s vision for recognizing young talent with the support of the overseas diaspora.
He reaffirmed that the program, which provides an estimated 2.5 million family members with MiFi connectivity, represents a significant turning point in the modernization of education.
Mashhood added that Pakistan’s youth have a crucial window of opportunity to succeed in global innovation and technology due to the country’s increased international confidence.
Following the premier’s distribution of Chromebooks to the deserving pupils, high achievers Syed Shams Raza and Alma Mahak Sabir gave speeches in which they thanked the prime minister for acknowledging their efforts.