With the national Cyber Security Policy 2021 approved on Tuesday, the federal cabinet has greenlit the creation of a cyber security framework for Pakistan. A Cyber Governance Policy Committee has been constituted to implement the policy and the framework that will be created.
As per the policy, a cyberattack on any institution of Pakistan will be considered an act of aggression against national sovereignty and all necessary and retaliatory steps would be taken. The committee will implement the policy at the national level, determine a strategy in a timely manner and take timely action. The committee comprises the secretaries and senior officers of 13 different departments/organisations.
Before the existence of this policy various organisations were addressing cyber security-related issues in their personal capacity.
Pakistan has been ranked as the seventh worst cyber-secure state in the world by the Global Strategies Index and the Global Security Index 2018 report.
The National Cyber Security Policy aims to counter the incidents related to malicious use of information and communication technologies in cyberspace that pose a grave financial and security threat to Pakistan.
The policy seeks support for the establishment of an internal framework in all public and private institutions for the protection of cyber ecosystem, security of national information system and infrastructure and protection in all national ICT infrastructures.
It also calls upon all stakeholders to devise information sharing mechanisms to protect against cyberattacks at all levels, ensure cybercrime monitoring, electronic identification and security and provide the organisations with the required systems and support for protection of online privacy.
The cyber-security policy provides ground rules for citizen data matters while establishing a public-private partnership for operational and technical assistance and raising awareness of cyber security using a variety of media across the country.
The policy highlights that to counter the threats of cyberattacks, the IT ministry will help establish an active cyber defence and cyber security governance, protect internet-based services, ensure protection and resilience of national critical information structures, protection of the government’s information systems and infrastructure, develop information security assurance framework, increase awareness of cyber security and develop cybercrime response mechanisms and regulations.
