ISLAMABAD, August 14, 2026: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja inaugurated the National Cyber Security Operations Centre (NCSOC) at National CERT, marking a major step towards strengthening Pakistan’s cyber resilience and protecting critical infrastructure and citizens’ data.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the minister congratulated the nation on Independence Day and said cybersecurity represented a new dimension of national freedom and sovereignty in the digital age.
She said Pakistan was rapidly expanding digital government, e-governance and citizen-centric digital services, making cybersecurity a central component of the country’s digital transformation.
The NCSOC will enhance Pakistan’s ability to monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats in real time, strengthening the protection of critical information infrastructure and essential digital services.
Referring to the country’s cyber defence efforts during Marka-e-Haq, Shaza Fatima said Pakistan’s cyber defence capabilities remained actively engaged amid a heightened threat environment. She said the experience demonstrated that national security now extends beyond physical borders into the digital domain.
The minister stressed that digital independence was not only about providing services online but also about having the national capacity and institutions to defend those services.
In his presentation, DG National CERT Dr Haider Abbas highlighted Pakistan’s progress in cybersecurity, including its Tier-1, Role-Modelling status in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 and the Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026.
The NCSOC is being described as a significant milestone towards developing a secure, resilient and sovereign digital ecosystem in Pakistan, ensuring that the country’s digital infrastructure remains protected alongside its national independence.
