The Federal Minister for IT, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, visited the NRTC facility in Haripur to review the newly established Chromebook assembly line, a collaboration aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s technology manufacturing capabilities. The visit included a detailed briefing on NRTC initiatives and a tour of the assembly line set up to produce affordable, quality devices locally.
The delegation accompanying the minister included the US Chargé d’affaires Natalie A. Baker and senior representatives from Google, among them Global Managing Director Kevin Keels, Country Director Pakistan Farhan Qureshi, Omar Farooq as CEO of Tech Valley Pakistan, and other officials. NRTC Managing Director Brigadier (R) Muhammad Khalid, the deputy MD and their teams welcomed the guests and presented the project’s technical and operational details.
The Chromebook assembly line has been established through a partnership between Google, Allied Australia, NRTC and Tech Valley Pakistan. Participants received a full briefing on the assembly process and quality controls before inspecting the production line, which integrates local supply chains with global standards to deliver reliable devices for students and professionals.
Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the Chromebook assembly as a practical realization of the Prime Minister’s Digital Nation vision and emphasized that local assembly will provide young Pakistanis with affordable, high-quality digital devices. She noted that the project will stimulate local employment and industrial activity while broadening the country’s technological base from software services into hardware manufacturing.
Credit for systems integration and completion of the project was given to Tech Valley Pakistan, whose role was highlighted as key to bringing the assembly line online. The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting technology manufacturing and digital growth and said the initiative marks an important step toward greater economic self-reliance and stronger regional exports.
The Chromebook assembly at NRTC Haripur positions Pakistan to expand its role in regional technology markets while creating new job opportunities and supporting broader digital inclusion goals across the country.
