Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja inaugurated the National Cyber Security Operations Centre (NCSOC) at National CERT, marking a major step towards strengthening Pakistan’s cyber resilience, protecting critical infrastructure and safeguarding citizens’ data.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister paid tribute to the founding and current leadership of Pakistan and congratulated the nation on the independence day. She stated, that the Centre represented a new dimension of freedom and sovereignty in the digital age. The Minister highlighted that as Pakistan expands digital government, e-governance and citizen-centric services, cybersecurity must remain at the core of digital transformation. The NCSOC will provide enhanced capabilities to monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats in real time.
“As we mark 79 years of independence, I am happy to inaugurate something that protects the digital half of that independence — the National Cyber Security Operations Centre,” she said.
Highlighting the achievements of Marka-e-Haq, Minister Shaza Fatima said Pakistan’s cyber defence capabilities remained actively engaged during the heightened threat environment, monitoring malicious activity, protecting critical information infrastructure and helping ensure continuity of essential digital services. She said the experience underscored that national security today extends beyond physical borders to the digital domain.
“Independence in the digital age is not just about the services we put online. It is about our ability to defend them ourselves — with our own people, our own institutions and now, our own Operations Centre,” she added.
In his presentation, Dr. Haider Abbas, DG National CERT underscored Pakistan’s progress in cybersecurity, highlighting its Tier-1, Role-Modelling status in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, and the Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026.
The NCSOC marks a significant milestone in Pakistan’s journey towards a secure, resilient and sovereign digital ecosystem, ensuring that the country’s digital freedom is protected alongside its national independence.
