ISLAMABAD (The COW News Digital) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a major educational initiative to provide Chromebooks and internet access to 500,000 talented students across Pakistan over the next two years, aiming to expand digital learning opportunities and empower young people through technology.
Addressing a ceremony at the Convention Centre in Islamabad, the prime minister said intelligence and talent should not be restricted by poverty or wealth. He emphasized that students from schools and religious seminaries would receive modern digital devices based solely on merit and academic ability.
Sharif described the programme as the beginning of a significant journey toward empowering Pakistan’s youth and preparing them to contribute to the country’s development and prosperity. He said the government would provide the resources necessary to equip young people with the skills and tools required to meet the demands of the modern world.
Under the initiative, eligible students will receive Chromebooks along with bags for carrying their devices and books, as well as portable internet devices. The facilities are intended to enable students to access digital libraries, educational resources and learning opportunities from their homes and other locations.
The prime minister said access to education was a valuable asset that could not be taken away and remained essential for personal development and social progress. He expressed confidence that the programme would help students improve their knowledge, strengthen their digital skills and achieve academic excellence.
Sharif also welcomed foreign guests attending the launch ceremony and highlighted the importance of investing in young people to build a more educated and technologically capable society.
He said the initiative would help students from different educational backgrounds access modern learning tools, potentially reducing the digital divide between those with access to technology and those who lack adequate resources.
Recalling previous education initiatives, the prime minister said that during an earlier Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, approximately 600,000 laptops had been distributed among students across the country, including in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The latest programme builds on those efforts by focusing on Chromebook devices and internet connectivity, which can help students access online educational materials and digital learning platforms.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also highlighted the event in a post on social media platform X, saying that a large number of young men and women from across Pakistan were participating in the ceremony.
The initiative is expected to support students in adapting to technology-driven education and accessing learning resources beyond traditional classrooms. However, its overall impact will depend on transparent beneficiary selection, reliable internet connectivity, device maintenance and continued access to digital educational content.
The government has presented the programme as part of its broader commitment to expanding educational opportunities and investing in the country’s human capital. If implemented effectively, the initiative could help more students develop the digital competencies increasingly required for higher education and employment.
The two-year distribution target now places implementation, equitable access and the effective use of technology at the centre of the programme’s success.
