IT minister inaugurates National Cyber Security Operations Centre to bolster Pakistan’s digital defence
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
NCSOC to provide real-time monitoring and response capabilities as Pakistan holds Tier-1 status in ITU Global Cybersecurity Index
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Friday inaugurated the National Cyber Security Operations Centre (NCSOC) at National CERT, describing it as a major step toward strengthening Pakistan’s cyber resilience, protecting critical infrastructure and safeguarding citizens’ data.
Speaking at the event, the minister paid tribute to Pakistan’s founding and current leadership and congratulated the nation on Independence Day, calling the centre a new dimension of freedom and sovereignty in the digital age.
Khawaja said cybersecurity must remain central to Pakistan’s digital transformation as the country expands e-governance and citizen-centric services, noting that the NCSOC will enhance the country’s ability to monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats in real time.
“As we mark 79 years of independence, I am happy to inaugurate something that protects the digital half of that independence — the National Cyber Security Operations Centre,” she said.
Referring to the achievements of Marka-e-Haq, the minister said Pakistan’s cyber defence capabilities remained actively engaged during a period of heightened threat, monitoring malicious activity, protecting critical information infrastructure and helping maintain continuity of essential digital services. She said the experience reinforced that national security now extends beyond physical borders into the digital domain.
“Independence in the digital age is not just about the services we put online. It is about our ability to defend them ourselves, with our own people, our own institutions and now, our own Operations Centre,” she added.
In his presentation, Dr Haider Abbas, Director General of National CERT, outlined Pakistan’s progress in cybersecurity, citing the country’s Tier-1, Role-Modelling status in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, alongside the Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026.
Officials said the NCSOC marks a significant milestone in Pakistan’s move toward a secure, resilient and sovereign digital ecosystem, ensuring the country’s digital freedom is protected alongside its national independence.
Reference Link:- https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/08/15/it-minister-inaugurates-national-cyber-security-operations-centre-to-bolster-pakistans-digital-defence
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
