The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) held the Cybersecurity Awards 2024 on Tuesday to honour outstanding achievements in enhancing cybersecurity within Pakistan’s telecom sector.
In her address, Minister of State for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing a robust cybersecurity framework critical for the country’s economic and digital stability.
She said Pakistan has been recognized in the Top Tier-1 (Role-Modelling) category of the ITU-Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI_V5) 2024. This recognition highlights the nation’s progress in bolstering cybersecurity and resilience, a testament to the collective efforts of the Ministry, stakeholders in government, industry, academia, and law enforcement agencies.
She said the PTA has introduced critical telecom data infrastructure regulations, encouraging operators to adopt substantial cybersecurity measures to enhance overall preparedness.
She shared insights from her recent visit to Karachi, where the Digital Pakistan Cybersecurity Hackathon 2024 was launched.
She announced plans for legislation to establish a National Digital Commission, which will be headed by the Prime Minister and include representation from the provinces and the private sector, to enhance national cybersecurity.
She said, “We will bring legislation in this regard within a week.”
She also highlighted the government’s efforts to support the business community through the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s (SIFC) one-window operation.
She said the IT Ministry has three primary goals: nationalization, technological advancement, and employment creation.
In his keynote address, Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman HI(M), Chairman of PTA, emphasized the need for a proactive cybersecurity culture and collaboration among all stakeholders to secure Pakistan’s digital landscape.
He reiterated that national security remains the top priority and that adherence to rules and regulations is essential in achieving these objectives.—APP
