The provincial government of Punjab has approved the installation of firewall systems across 14 public libraries in the province, at an estimated total cost of Rs. 50 million.
The project has received formal approval from all relevant regulatory forums, and measures to secure the IT infrastructure of participating libraries have already been accelerated.
The firewall systems will block access to cyber threats and websites deemed unrelated to education or research, limiting library members to approved academic and informational content only.
Advanced firewall technology will be deployed at each library to improve overall digital security, with access to immoral and unnecessary online content set to be restricted under the new system.
The department has also decided to make the library network more secure and operationally effective, protecting connected IT systems from external threats and unauthorised access across all 14 sites.
No implementation timeline was announced alongside the approval, though the project is described as part of broader efforts to modernise and protect Punjab’s public library digital infrastructure.
NCERT Cyber Alert
The National Cyber Emergency Response Team issued an advisory directing federal institutions to place official websites into “Read-Only” mode during cybersecurity threats.
Officials said the advisory followed heightened regional tensions and increased hacktivist activity targeting government digital infrastructure, public-facing portals, and sensitive online communication systems.
NCERT stated temporary restrictions aimed preventing unauthorized website modifications, misinformation campaigns and cyberattacks targeting government platforms.
The advisory warned unrestricted website functionality could expose systems to homepage defacement, database injection attacks, malicious file uploads, and denial-of-service attacks during crises.
Officials highlighted risks linked to login portals, search bars, contact forms, and content management systems that attackers could exploit for unauthorized system access.
NCERT instructed departments to disable administrative systems, strengthen database permissions, monitor suspicious activity, and maintain secure air-gapped backup infrastructure.
Cybersecurity experts said the advisory reflected growing concerns regarding Pakistan’s digital infrastructure amid increasing cyber warfare and disinformation threats.
