The Government of Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team has established a 24/7 National Cybersecurity Control Room at its headquarters in L Block, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, amid growing concerns over potential cyber threats targeting state institutions and national digital assets. The move comes during what authorities have described as a sensitive security period, with heightened vigilance across key government networks and infrastructure.
According to an official notification, the newly operational facility will serve as the National Coordination Center for monitoring, analyzing, and responding to cyber incidents across the country. The control room has been activated in response to concerns about possible targeted cyberattacks against critical government websites, networks, and core digital infrastructure. Authorities aim to ensure rapid detection and coordinated mitigation of any malicious activity that could disrupt public services or compromise sensitive information. The initiative reflects a proactive posture by national cyber authorities to maintain operational continuity and safeguard digital systems during the current threat landscape.
All Internet Service Providers, Sectoral CERTs, and Provincial CERTs have been instructed to establish dedicated monitoring setups and maintain round the clock surveillance of their respective networks and critical assets. They have also been directed to report any suspicious activity or confirmed cyber incidents to nCERT without delay to enable a unified response. The directive emphasizes strict coordination protocols similar to those implemented during previous national events, which officials say proved effective in countering hostile cyber activities. Key stakeholders including Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, PTA, National Information Technology Board, National Telecommunication Corporation, provincial IT boards, and other relevant entities have been asked to nominate focal persons and provide updated contact details to nCERT by March 4, 2026, to streamline communication during the monitoring phase.
Two senior officials, Dr. Muhammad Yousaf, Director CERT, and Dr. Mujahid Shah, Assistant Director Incident Management, have been designated as focal persons for national level coordination throughout this period. Their role will involve overseeing incident response, facilitating inter agency collaboration, and ensuring swift information sharing between stakeholders. The notification also outlines National Baseline Security Guidelines aimed at preventing cyber incidents across government systems. These guidelines mandate measures to counter phishing attempts, website defacement, credential leaks, data breaches, ransomware campaigns, and system misconfigurations. Among the recommended controls are implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to strengthen email security, deployment of Web Application Firewalls to protect online portals, enforcement of multi factor authentication, encryption of data both at rest and in transit, and centralized logging through Security Information and Event Management systems. Authorities have further stressed the importance of conducting regular vulnerability assessments and maintaining offline air gapped backups to mitigate ransomware risks.
Beyond technical safeguards, the advisory highlights the need for enhanced business continuity and disaster recovery planning. Institutions have been urged to maintain redundant ISP connections, test failover mechanisms, enforce secure configuration management practices, and establish alternative communication channels for emergency escalation. Officials state that these measures are intended to preserve the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and ensure that critical services remain resilient in the face of evolving cyber threats.
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