IT giant Google opens office in Pakistan, TikTok to follow soon: minister
Technology
IT giant Google opens office in Pakistan, TikTok to follow soon: minister
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The Federal Minister for Information Technology, Aminul Haq, made an important announcement stating that the renowned global search engine, Google, has officially opened its office in Pakistan.
During a casual conversation with the media in Islamabad, the minister said that his ministry is diligently working on the development of social media rules at an accelerated pace.
He told that these rules have now reached their final stage and will soon be presented to the cabinet for approval.
Additionally, Minister Haq revealed that Google is not the only major company establishing its presence in Pakistan, as the popular video-sharing application TikTok is also planning to inaugurate an office in the country.
Emphasizing the importance of having representation, the minister shared that if companies are unable to open physical offices, they must at least have a virtual presence in Pakistan.
Earlier, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) in 2022 registered Google as a company in Pakistan.
A document issued by the SECP to Google over successful registration stated that Google Asia Pacific Pvt. Ltd incorporated in Singapore had established a liaison office in the country under Section 435 of the Companies Act 2017.
Google is the first tech conglomerate to take the step as the Pakistan government, under social media rules, made it mandatory for all social media companies including Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter to register themselves in the country as it would enable the government to exercise limits enacted under "Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules, 2021".
Sources privy to the development said that another social media giant TikTok was also planning to register itself in the country adding that Meta – Facebook’s parent company – might follow suit.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called on his Singaporean counterpart Dr Vivan Balakrishnan in Singapore on the sidelines of the 29th Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh.
During the meeting, the two leaders shed light on bilateral relations and agreed to enhance dialogue and cooperation. They also discussed the potential for bilateral trade and economic cooperation. They exchanged views on the global and regional issues.
The foreign minister expressed admiration for Singapore’s development model and the lessons it offered to developing countries. The two foreign ministers also expressed support for the ASEAN-led process in the Asia Pacific.
