Minister cites ranking gains and a near-ready statute
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Thursday that Pakistan cybersecurity law work is almost done, and that the country has entered the top global cybersecurity tier after a clear rise in international standings. She spoke at the close of Cybersecurity Awareness Week 2026 in Islamabad, an event run together by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA, the telecom regulator) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
She framed online defence as more than a technical brief: it now touches daily life, growth of the economy, and the security of the state. That framing sat beside her update on the Pakistan cybersecurity law process still moving through its last steps.
Response teams and PECA changes
According to the minister, Security Operations Centres (SOCs — hubs that watch networks for attacks) and the National Computer Emergency Response Team (National CERT — the federal rapid-response unit for cyber incidents) are already working at the centre. She also said provincial CERTs are prepared to handle threats in the provinces.
She linked faster action on digital crime to recent edits in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA, Pakistan’s main cybercrime statute). Those edits, she said, turned the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency into a standalone body so complaints and cases can move more quickly.
Skills drive and advice for families
On skills, she said the prime minister’s instructions have put young people into artificial intelligence and advanced cyber courses at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC).
She asked parents not to post children’s pictures, school information, or home addresses on social platforms. Teenagers aged 12 to 18, she warned, face grooming and bullying risks on metaverse spaces and online games. Blocking the whole internet out of fear is not an option in a tech-heavy era, she argued; people must stay alert instead. She also asked users to stop, check, and only then open unfamiliar links.
Aasan alfaaz mein
IT wazira ne kaha ke Pakistan ab cybersecurity mein behtar ranking wale mulkon mein shamil hai. Naya cybersecurity qanoon tayari ke aakhri marhalay mein hai. Sarkari cyber response teams pehle se kaam kar rahi hain. Walidain ko chahiye ke bachon ki photos aur ghar ka pata social media par na dalein.
