The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom met today to review the cyberattack that disrupted Geo News’ transmission during the Iran-Israel war. Lawmakers examined how the private channel’s broadcast was interfered with and sought technical clarity from relevant authorities.
Briefing by DG National CERT
The director general of National CERT, Dr. Haider Abbas, informed the committee that the incident was not a conventional IP-based cyberattack. He explained that attackers did not breach the channel through a standard internet-based intrusion.
Instead, the satellite uplink stream was compromised. By targeting the uplink system, the attackers interfered with the broadcast feed. Officials noted that this method reflects a more complex form of disruption aimed directly at transmission infrastructure.
Due to the technical and sensitive nature of the matter, the DG requested that further details be shared in camera. The committee chairperson decided that other agenda items would be taken up first. The detailed cyberattack briefing would then be held behind closed doors.
Which Four Countries Were Behind the Attack?
Although no country was officially named during the meeting, questions continue to circulate outside the committee about possible foreign involvement. Could India or Israel have had any link to the incident, given the regional context? And if so, which other two countries are being speculated about? These questions remain unanswered and were not formally discussed during the session.
The chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority told the committee that the PTA has established a National Telecom CERT to strengthen sector-wide cybersecurity. He said the authority monitors all telecom companies in real time to detect unusual activity and respond swiftly.
The committee is expected to review further findings once the investigations progress. Lawmakers stressed the need to protect broadcast systems from future disruptions, especially during periods of heightened geopolitical tension.
