The National Telecom & Information Technology Security Board (NTISB) wants a massive budget allocation for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year. Specifically, the board has requested Rs. 3.244 billion for its flagship project, “Cyber Security for Digital Pakistan”. Consequently, the total cost of this ongoing scheme has skyrocketed. Officials originally approved the project in 2021 for Rs. 1.798 billion. However, the revised cost has now reached a staggering Rs. 7.68 billion. This sharp increase clearly reflects a significant expansion in the project’s scope and financial needs.
The government scheduled this initiative to run until 2028. Therefore, the NTISB proposed the new Rs. 3.244 billion demand to keep the momentum going and finish the remaining tasks. So far, the cumulative expenditure stands at Rs 1.22 billion. Despite the ballooning costs, the project shows solid ground-level implementation.
| Project Metric | Progress / Amount |
| Physical Progress | 75% |
| Financial Progress | 70% |
| Funds Spent So Far | Rs. 1.22 Billion |
| Original Cost | Rs. 1.798 Billion |
| Revised Total Cost | Rs. 7.68 Billion |
Furthermore, officials confirm that office renovations and recruitment processes are partially complete. The remaining administrative work is currently underway.
Ultimately, this project focuses on building a National Computer Emergency Response Team (National CERT). This specialized team will handle several critical objectives. First, it will execute active cyber defense and establish strict cybersecurity governance. Second, the team will actively protect internet-based services. Third, it will secure the national critical information infrastructure alongside sensitive government information systems.
Additionally, the initiative plans to develop a comprehensive information security assurance framework. It will also foster global collaboration. Finally, the project will establish strict cybercrime response mechanisms and regulations.
