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October 26, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched a scheme to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks and internet devices to deserving students across Pakistan, including seminary students, on merit over two years.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched a nationwide initiative to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks and internet devices to talented students over the next two years, promising to make digital education more accessible regardless of family income or educational background.
Speaking at the launch of the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebook Scheme in Islamabad on Sunday, Sharif said selection would be based on merit, with students from schools and religious seminaries eligible for the programme. Selected students will also receive bags and MiFi devices to support online classes, remote learning and access to digital libraries.
“Intelligence and hard work should not be held captive by wealth and poverty,” Sharif said, emphasising that financial circumstances should not prevent capable students from pursuing their ambitions.
The initiative marks an expansion of the government’s previous laptop distribution efforts. Sharif recalled that approximately 600,000 laptops had been distributed across Pakistan over a decade under earlier programmes, contrasting that timeline with the government’s target of delivering 500,000 Chromebooks within just two years.
The prime minister highlighted students facing difficult personal circumstances, including a child whose father worked as a labourer and another student whose father had been killed. He said their determination demonstrated why educational opportunities must extend beyond privileged households.
Sharif also addressed concerns among seminary students that they might be excluded from technology schemes. He pointed to previous laptop distributions involving religious seminaries and reiterated that the new programme would cover both mainstream schools and religious institutions.
“Only your hard work and ability will be the criteria,” he said, adding that the devices could help students continue their education and eventually develop skills that support their livelihoods.
Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashhood said the Tokyo Technology Care Foundation had taken practical steps to help provide digital facilities to 500,000 students. Sharif thanked the foundation’s founder, Rashid Minhas, describing the contribution as a sign of overseas Pakistanis’ confidence in the country’s young people.
Alongside the Chromebook initiative, the government is expanding its Daanish schools programme, with 27 additional schools under construction, according to Sharif. He said these institutions would provide education and facilities free of charge, including smart boards, electronic libraries, sports grounds and residential accommodation.
The announcement comes as Pakistan expands its technology ambitions. Google began Chromebook manufacturing in collaboration with Pakistani institutions in 2025, while a separate agreement announced in August 2026 promised students access to advanced artificial intelligence tools and Google Career Certificates.
The programme’s central test will be whether devices and internet access reach deserving students efficiently, giving them practical opportunities to learn, build digital skills and compete in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
