Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebook Scheme in Islamabad on October 25, 2026, a programme to provide 500,000 Chromebooks and internet devices to deserving students across Pakistan.
What happened?
At a launch ceremony at the Convention Centre in Islamabad, the prime minister formally launched the scheme and handed devices to selected students, including high-performing Grade 9 students and students of religious seminaries. The programme is run with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and supported by the Tokyo Technology Care Foundation.
Key details
- 500,000 refurbished Chromebooks with internet (MiFi) devices, to be distributed over two years.
- Selection is on merit and academic performance only, covering students from schools and religious seminaries.
- The devices are intended to give students access to e-libraries, online educational material and digital learning resources.
- The prime minister said talent should not be held back by poverty, and recalled that 600,000 laptops were distributed over the past decade on merit.
What it means for people in Pakistan
For families who cannot afford a computer, the scheme could put a learning device and internet access into a student’s hands at home, helping with homework, revision and digital skills. Its real test will be fair, merit-based selection and reliable connectivity and support once the devices reach students far from Islamabad. Students should wait for official school/board announcements about eligibility rather than acting on unofficial application claims.
