July 16, 2026  |  Cybersecurity

With the evolving regional situation following the brokering of a diplomatic accord between the United States and Iran, Pakistan stands to gain significant geopolitical opportunities but may concurrently face heightened cybersecurity threats.

According to Dr. Haider Abbas, Director General of the Pakistan Computer Emergency Response Team (PKCERT), the nation has recorded 253 cyberattacks in 2026 thus far. This includes a recent ransomware incident at a government entity that encrypted critical data and forced recovery from isolated backups. Between 2024 and 2025, the country faced 927 attacks on critical infrastructure across both public and private sectors.

In response to these intractable threats, authorities have issued a stringent six-month deadline to all public and private organizations to establish and operationalize Cybersecurity Operation Centres (COCs). These facilities must be equipped with SIEM, EDR, NDR, and XDR solutions for continuous, concurrent threat monitoring.

Furthermore, sector-specific CERTs are being systematically rolled out under regulators including the PTA, SBP, SECP, Nepra, Ogra, HEC, and CAA, alongside plans for a dedicated Federal Government CERT. Pakistan has also developed the Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026 (PISF 2026), currently under cabinet review, which will mandate strict compliance timelines once approved.

Pakistan has achieved notable global recognition, including role-model status in the ITU's cybersecurity rankings and full accreditation in the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST). As the nation advances its Digital Pakistan vision, this confluence of regulatory rigor and international collaboration establishes a formidable precedent for digital sovereignty in South Asia.